Comfort
by VanGuard6
Summary: Ayane is hurt while on a mission; Kasumi takes on the job of caring for her but can't do it alone. Beseeching the help of a young man; she sets out to clear her sister's name and perhaps hers. While Kasumi's away; a romance slowly brews between Ayane and the young man. Will she forsake her village for love or will she cut all ties with him? Her move. Rated MA
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer: I Do Not Own Dead or Alive or any of its Characters. They belong to whoever it is that made'em.**_

* * *

"You'll pay for that, _Onee-chan!_ " The Purple haired Ayane snarled.

 _I'm sorry, Ayane-chan..._ Kasumi thought tearfully, wiping back the hand that held the _kunai_ \- the blade dripped wet in crimson from blade to hilt. The deep gash on her little sister's side.

Ayane wasn't herself anymore, years of chasing after her elder sister, now led to this moment. All the animosity, the emotion, the raw anger that still seethed to this day, now free from their confines.

Bloodied and battered, the purple tengu unsheathed her _wakizashi._

The blade gleamed in the pale moonlight, a monsters fang that thirst for blood. Her blood.

"Ayane, Please!" Kasumi tried to reason with her sister, calling out to the sweet little girl within her. She's still in there. She had to be in there.

The Hunters arrived, like specters out of the shadows, they descended on the older Kasumi who had failed to sense her presence due to her concern and attention all focused on her little sister.

 _This will end it!_ They collectively snarled. But -

"WAAUUUGGH!" By Ayane's steel swift descent scattered them in a rain of body parts and blood. She laughed as the blood of her own comrades showered her like spring rain.

Her mad cackles caused a fear to rise within the copper brown haired girl that gripped her heart in an icy-cold grip. _Ayane-chan was...dead._

"Forgive me, Ayane-chan. I shall uphold my duty as an older sibling and release you. May the gods forgive me."

She brought up the same bloodstained _kunai_ holding the knife like an inexperience shinobi. With one final cry of "Forgive me!" lunged forward. Both sisters moved in sync, Ayane, her blade held with the expertise of a highly-trained ninja of the Hajin Mon Sect.

Tears fell like tiny little droplets like crystals from the brunette's eyes. In her heart, she was screaming. _FORGIVE ME!_

...

Jake Kashima peddled with the speed of an Olympic cyclist down the cold, winter felt streets of Japan.

If there was one thing he hated about his life is never being there on time which he calls "I was not fast enough" sickness. It seemed to run in the family.

For Jake Kashima, it was a curse yet a blessing at the same time. A couple of times being late had actually saved him; that one time when he was running late to the office had saved him from being caught in a car accident taking place on the street he crossed to get to the train station.

"They could at least be a little more lenient..." He said, cursing his employers. Working in the private sector wasn't all stars and rainbows.

At 22 years old, Jake Kashima was a _complicated_ young man with a swimmer's body build standing at 1.75 cm's with long, crew cut brown hair and hazel eyes. He wore a neutral expression which he'd relax into a smile occasionally. The most apt description of him would be laid-back most of the time, and laser focused when needed to. People generally avoided him because they couldn't know what he was thinking most of the time or what he's really like with his constant paradigm shifts in personality. He had his quiet moments, had his loud moments and even his funny moments - traits some considered unusual - but Jake Kashima couldn't be narrowed or placed in any category of personalities on the list.

A Cyber Security Analyst working for a Private Company, the salary kept him fed, paid the bills and the rent, the title "Cyber Security Analyst" sounded fancy but was far from it. Working 10 hours a day backing up documents, creating copies of said documents, debugging the system, maintaining the firewall; the numbers don't stop coming!

He stopped to catch his breath, angling the bike so the handles pressed against the wall. The cold air felt nice on his hot, sweaty skin. Jake undid the zip of his trench coat the using it to fan himself. It was one of those days he forgot tonight was his girlfriends event, some journalistic awards or something, he had promised to go with her and completely forgotten about it; Hence, why he was in such a hurry.

"Oh, now I'm late..." _She's gonna PISSED with the capital P._

As if on cue, his cellphone rang forcing him to sigh.

 _Caller ID: Sachi-chan_

"Speak of the devil," said Jake.

 _"Hey babe..."_ He answered.

 _"Don't 'hey, babe' me - Where the hell are you, the event's already starting."_

Jake scratched his head from embarrassment and from having have to meet his girlfriend for 2 years constant - sometimes impossible - demands.

 _"Yeah, about that you see they had this work thing at the office and I had to - "_

 _"Y-you know, save it! I don't want to hear it. As of now, you and I are over."_

 _"Hello, babe. H-hello! Can you -_ she hung up on me..." The young man stared at his phone speechless.

Jake and Sachi first met when she was assigned to write a piece about him. 'A Prodigy rises - Jake Kashima, the Bill Gates of Cyber Security.' Having read some of her articles or "pop piece editorials", he noted somethings were greatly exaggerated. That's the media for you. Real journalism died the same way the _American conscience_ died with Robert, Martin and John. God he loved that line, although it wasn't a terrible movie, it still had its flaws.

Running a hand through his sweaty face, he breathes in deeply and exhaled slowly. He's calm for now. Today wasn't his day.

And it's about to get much worse.

Passing the gates into his complex, Jake parked his bike next beside the guard post which had a bike parking. After securing it and checking it twice, starts his way to the elevator.

"Oh, good evenin' young Jake. How yer doin?"

He was met by his landlady at the elevator. "Oh, Hi there, Fumiko- _obaasan._ I'm fine, just not having a good day today." He said.

"Oh, is it now. I'm sorry to hear that." She had a look of pity on her wrinkled face. "Oh by the way, have ya got a pet in the apartment, Jake? Some of the tenants are complaining about a noise in your apartment. You know pets aren't allowed but I don't see you as being the kind to break the rules now, would ye?"

That was strange. He wasn't aware of having any _pets_ in his apartment. With his work schedule, he barely has time for himself.

"Ah, no, I don't think so, ma'am." He quirked a brow. "I'll look into it, in the mean time please call the police - just in case." He added.

"Okay, Jake." Fumiko-obaasan nodded.

 _What is it? An Intruder?!_ the thoughts swam in his mind as he thought of the possibilities. _I mean I did make a few TV appearances and newspaper columns but those things are highly exaggerated._

 _Ding!_

The elevator stopped at his floor. He peeled himself off the wall which he unconsciously had backed into. God, he wished it'd just absorb him. That way he wouldn't have to deal with the intruder.

"And erase a sorry excuse of a human being that I am..." he said morbidly.

He quickly backed away from the door of his apartment like a cat. _Someones definitely inside and...crying?_ He couldn't make out what it was other than the person was sobbing and saying something unintelligible.

Jake looked around for anything he could use as a weapon. While he isn't an advocate of hitting someone when their in distress, he certainly didn't subscribe to having a complete stranger and possible danger to his life in his apartment.

"Right," he exclaimed after finding a...broom? Okay, it wasn't his best of ideas but anything is better than CQC with a burglar. He barely could hold his own against his brother-in-law (damn jerk off) he wasn't gonna be a Navy SEAL now and charge in guns blazing going 'Get down, Motherfucker!"

Jake gulps, extending one hand to the knob. "Easy, Jake. It's probably nothing...probably just a mouse." _Yeah, big ass mouse that can cry like a human._ He twists it - _creeaaakkk_ \- Oh, fuck it!

"YAAAHHH, freeze sucker!" _Wha -_ That's definitely not a mouse.

 _THWAP!_

 _Boom!_

 _Crash!_

"Aah, Gomenasai!"

...

"Ayane-chan...Ayane-chan...!" She couldn't do it. In the end, she was too weak. Kasumi loved her little sister too much.

She cradled the unconscious purple head in her arms. She kisses Ayane on the forehead while profusely apologizing.

Blood flowed like a river, the blade embedded in her gut. Kasumi made sure to miss all vital organs but due to the heavy injuries suffered by her sister...she's most likely dead, regardless where the brunette would had struck.

"Nee-chan..." Ayane drifted between life and death, croaked her sister. "Nee-chan..." Tears streamed down her face, she brought a hand to cup her Onee-chan's cheek. All those years, wasted on pointless fighting - Kasumi for her pride and Ayane for all her anger - to have this one moment where they could act like sisters.

"I'm sorry...Kasumi-neechan..." Ayane choked.

Not yet!

There's still time. Ayane can still be saved. There's still time. "There's still time."

Lifting her sister up, she did her best with the medical supplies she had at hand and bandaged the wounds to the best of her abilities - right now, that blade in her gut is what's keeping her sister alive. She needed to find someplace. Someplace quiet where she could use _ninpo_ on Ayane.

Her trained eyes homed in on the dark apartment two floors above her. "Two floors." She said hopefully. It's like jumping over a small puddle for her. "Hang on, little sister." She said to the once again unconscious Ayane. And with effortless grace, she leapt from the rooftop to and through the window of the apartment.

Glass shards sliced into her delicate skin as she burst through in a hail of broken window shards. She gritted her teeth and swallowed the pain, her sister took priority.

Setting Ayane gently on one of the couches, she began tearing through the apartment leaving no stone un-turned.

For a normal bachelor pad, this place was well stocked in medical supplies. She immediately found the things she needed. "Yosh!" All the ingredients, prepared. Now..."the healing."

Kasumi worked quickly, all those years of being relentlessly pursued by her clansmen - fending for herself, cleaning her own wounds, showed as she worked on cleaning and bandaging the minor wounds. Then she stitched the cut on her side just below the rib cage. "Nnggh!" Ayane groaned and shifted. Kasumi held the girl down in fear of reopening the recently sewed wound - she was halfway done.

Blood flowed out from the half-sewn cut. "Please, Ayane." She tearfully begged.

After a minute or two of struggling, the girl finally stopped. Her breathing was still shallow and raspy. Kasumi was done within half a minute stitching the wound. Next was the one that she worried about the most.

"If only I had someone to help me..."

 _Creeaakk_ Her trained sense picked up the secondary presence in the room excluding her sister.

Based on her deduction, the person was on the defensive but still could present a threat to her sister if she wasn't careful.

She'll have to neutralize it without resorting to extreme prejudice.

Kasumi ducked behind the only arm chair in the apartment.

 _YAAAHHH, freeze sucker!_

She swung out from behind the arm chair, hand blindly grabbing the first thing she could grab and with all the strength in her lithe body threw it.

 _THWAP!_

 _Boom!_

 _Crash!_

...

"Aah, Gomenasai!"

It was just a civilian, most likely the owner of this apartment. She just hit a civilian.

Kasumi knelt beside Jake's fallen form on the ground, "I'm sorry!" She apologized.

Jake wasn't feeling very lucky. He had just been struck by 40-wheeler. "Someone better get that number of that truck that just hit me..." He drawled out painfully. Kasumi helped the IT expert up to his feet. He stumbled a little, she caught him.

The first thing he felt was a warm palm over his forehead where he'd just been struck. The touch so soft, so warm. Then he saw her eyes, wide and brown, her triangular features suggested she was Caucasian of different background.

"I'm sorry." She said.

Kasumi has been apologizing since hitting him with a phone book.

She noted the mess at the entrance, a rather expensive looking antique vase now in piece on the wooden floor. The table which said vase had been on, broken. She winced as she calculated the cost of damage repair. And she didn't like it at all.

"AYANE!" Then she remembered her original purpose here. "Please, help my sister...M-my sister...she's hurt. Please!" Her speech was all over the place, Jake had a hard time understanding her while fighting the throbbing pain in his head.

 _A phone book?_ He thought, seeing the fist double fist thick yellow page on the floor. "Note to self, get rid of phone book."

His focus shifted to the girl in front of him. She was beautiful was his first analysis of the female in his apartment. Bright reddish-brown hair, doe brown eyes, cute feature - a mixture between hot and cute. Oh, and sweet voice.

Her attire was entirely strange to him, the top part hugged tightly over her torso, showing a well endowed chest, trailing his way down her slender waist, his face was heating up as he made his way further south to her attire's bottom, a dress with had a long slit running down the side showing the creamy flesh of her thighs and shapely legs.

"Please..." Her face was in distraught. "My sister." He was being dragged in his own apartment to the living room.

The wounded sleeping beauty was lying unconscious on his couch, his eyes fell on the blade embedded in her gut, his first thoughts, "We should get her to a hospital!"

"No, please - they'll take her away!" Kasumi seized Jake's wrist. He winced at the bone crushing force exerted. For someone so gentle...!

"O-okay, no hospital - please...let go...wrist...painful.." He gasped, Kasumi realizing what she was doing quickly let go of the young man who took his wrist back.

A minute later, he kneels down. This beauty on his couch, was unlike anything he's ever seen. So exquisite, so rare, it almost feels like she'll disappear if he so much as touched her. That's how unbelievable this whole situation was to him. Two insanely otherworldy beauties in his apartment. Smells like the setup for a cliche harem anime.

"Okay, no hospital because you know who's gonna take her away - but we still gotta help her."

Her face lit up, an idea popping in her head, he felt an unfamiliar chill creep up his back. Kasumi covered the distance between their faces, her lips hovered just above his. "I know what to do - just listen to me and do as I say..." _Too close, too close!_

"Okay."

...

 _Extract from Jake's Journal._

 _I'm not sure how to start this thing._

 _Hello...I guess._

 _Jake Kashima, Former SDF turned IT genius._

 _Before I became who I am today, I was a scrawny kid in High School with little to no Self Confidence (Remark: Writing this after two bottles of Corona and some warm Sake) - I enlisted shortly after High School. I gained a few pounds (In muscle mass!) and felt pretty good about myself. (I'm rambling)_

 _That's it I guess._

 _..._

 _Extract from Jake's Journal #2_

 _Wow, how long haven't I written in this thing. It's caught dust and smell's like mothballs. (Scratch that, Mothballs are ten times more pleasant that what this smells like)_

 _So, I got a job. That's great. IT Security - How cool is that? (actually it's not that cool)_

 _A friend from college hooked me up with this IT Company - Do..tec, Die Tech or something like that._

 _Pays good. People are good. Except that Receptionist though - She's hot but her attitude ain't that swell._

 _..._

It's been a while since he's written in his Journal.

Maybe it's because he hadn't the time for it. Not with the busy schedule the Company keeps him on after his rise to fame. While he stills prefer to stay out of the lime light. Others were constantly egging him to go to these events where he had to stand in front of a crowd and deliver a speech. That's what his assistant was there for.

And the bosses don't seemed to mind - so he was in the clear.

But still, reading back on his old logs. He's really come this far.

While his living quarters may not show it, the young man was pretty content. Money and the lavish lifestyle meaning nothing to him.

Before this whole own apartment thing, he lodged with an old roommate (also former bully) for 2 years and his desk was an orange box.

That's right an orange box!

"Maybe I should write something in it." He contemplated.

But...

" _Ano,_ I know it's not much but here I made this." The dish was a simple chicken with fried chicken dish. The girl, formally known as Kasumi - no last name - stared anxiously to the side with a small pink tint spreading on her cheeks. The girl parked the dish on the small table in the living room where he was sitting sifting through his old journal after finding it cramped between the cushions on the couch.

This evening had shown him a great many strange things; all started with this cute, beautiful, girl that had somehow ended up in his apartment. _Note: I spent the last 15 minutes after the treatment looking around for a hidden camera - found none except for a broken window._

"About the window I'll - "

"Don't worry about it," Jake interrupted. He lifted one hand in apology. "Don't worry about it - I can pay for that. Just worry about your sister.

Kasumi relaxed a bit, letting out a small sigh. "Um...If you don't eat the meal's gonna get cold."

Oh right, he remembered.

" _Itadakimasu."_ He prayed and dug in. He tore a piece of chicken with the chopstick.

"You know it's rude to stare when others are eating."

Kasumi realized this and squeaked. "Eek -" But her sentence was cut short when the young man placed the same piece of chicken he had torn into her mouth.

Jake watched her face change into one of bliss. "Mmm." She moaned, before reality brought her back down.

She was about to say something about putting things in a woman's mouth when her tummy made a rather unexpected sound. She quickly slapped both her hands onto her stomach and looked down in absolute horror and embarrassment. Her antics although childish seemed to suit her.

"I'm sorry I - "

"What are you apologizing for?" He asked.

"You know because..."

"For being hungry, it's obvious you need this more than I do." He said matter-of-factly, pushing the plate in her direction. "Here, you eat."

"Heh...N-no, I am a guest -"

"In my apartment, so eat it. No buts."

She continued to protest but Jake cut her off, "A ta ta ta, no buts. Eat up." He chided her a child not wanting to eat her vegetables. Kasumi pouted which caused him to chuckle. And eat she did, begrudgingly. But she seemed more happy though which was good.

"Hmph, Jake you meanie." He didn't realize they were on the first name base. But his first name did come before his surname and calling him 'Kashima-san' would make him feel old. And weird.

"Meanie?" He chuckled. "You seem perfectly happy while eating."

He saw her face flush immediately and if you listen closely made a 'poof' sound. "T-that's because you asked me too, Baka." She said but quickly clamped a hand over her mouth after realizing she was being rude again.

"Ah, I'm sorry. It's just a - "

"A lot's happened. Yeah, I get the feeling." said Jake.

...

Kasumi got the feeling that Jake was trustworthy; Gen Fu once told her a kind person can be two-faced at times. But there are instances when someone is genuine - you'll know it when you're near them.

But somehow, she still had this feeling there was more to this young man than he lets on whether he knows it or not.

"J-Jake, I...uh, how do I say this...C-can you look after Ayane-chan for me; just for a few days." Kasumi bowed.

If there was one thing he hated most, it was people begging for help; there's no begging needed, human beings should automatically help even without being asked to. Because it's the right thing to do.

While it maybe an inconvenience due to his rather cramp apartment; it is a bachelor pad after all - but he can't turn down someone regardless of the situation (which was still unknown to him) one's hurt and will probably immobile for awhile. The other...

"Fine," Is just a mystery.

"I've got to meet someone to discuss a possible cease fire while Ayane-chan recovers - Oph!" Kasumi eyes widen, a hand quickly clasped over her mouth like a girl letting something slip.

"Ceasefire?"

...

 _Extract from Jake's Journal._

 _So, apparently - Ninja's exist._

 _Dead or Alive tournament; yeah, I've heard of that. If you haven't, go to the internet search it up and click on the first match you see._

 _So, this DOA thing is basically one big gladiator match - and of course there is the ridiculous costumes that highlights a lady's...curves. And it rakes in a lot of money. And Kasumi, Ayane are currently the top two competitors in the tournament._

 _So DOATEC acknowledges the existence of Ninjas, and it doesn't stop there; Chakra, Mantras and Ki actually exist?! Wow (Shocker)._

 _Majority of the contestants are women: An internationally wanted assassin, a daughter of a CEO big shot and ninjas._

 _I was wrong; world's more fucked up than it is if this is the new rage._

...

This was just too much for Jake to take in. He's been living under a rock for so long and he didn't even realize it.

Doatec (The same company he works for) is also sponsoring a martial arts tournament; that would explain his friend Takehito's photos of women in bikini's in his phone and that freaky collage he keeps on his cubicle. So aside from fighting each other, they grant leaves for the competitors to some island in the pacific where to promote the tournament do stuff like waltz in skimpy swimsuits and play volleyball and frolic in the sun and sand while expert gravure directors shoot and sell the videos and photo's as merchandise.

It was one thing to the next and each one just seem to threaten to destroy his mind.

He's seen the posters and thought it was just some video game that's the new hype.

"You really have no idea do you, Jake?"

 _Nope,_ he shook his head. Now his tea was cold.

He got up to make a fresh pot when Kasumi stopped him. "Jake, thank you." Her smile was so serene, so honest. He nearly dropped his cup but luckily managed to regain himself quickly.

"I-it's nothing."

Kasumi smiles and giggles at his flustered state. "Would you like some more tea?"

She nodded. "Hai."

-0000-

Ayane felt like she was crawling through a mud pit.

The alarm clock rang incessantly at her bedside - Wait? Alarm Clock!?

Her whole body - alarmed, reached out to turn off the annoying device.

"- So annoying, ugh!" She muttered half-awake.

 ***STING*** "ARGH-!" She fell back onto bed with her whole body shaking and crying out in pain.

 ***Click***

 ***Creak***

Ayane squeezed her eyes shut; she didn't account for the single tear to escape her eyes. Period. She made no move to wipe it. _'Then they'll know I'm awake...!'_ She thought.

The purple-haired tengu planned her next move. Carefully and deliberately.

First, she would hit them in the throat with an open palm knife hand; crushing their trachea. Because she was in neck deep in enemy territory, she'd be unarmed -

 _'But not helpless!'_

The anticipation for them to touch her; to reach out their hands to caress and violate every part of her body was repulsive yet the excitement to rip them to shreds before the distance between their lecherous hands and her skin were even to be within an inch was too hard to contain.

She heard the footsteps approaching the bed. Here it comes; time to put her plan into action.

 _'They wouldn't know what hit'em...'_ She thought darkly. Hiding the evil smirk that touched her lips as she lay in an angle that kept her face hidden.

And. Here. We. Go!

She launched faster than humanly possible.

Palm out. ***Crack*** There was a satisfying crack to when her palm connected to her victim's throat. The victim let out a gasp trying to draw breath through his crushed windpipe.

She disappeared; bursting into thin air then reappearing behind him - one hand under his chin; the other behind his head - she twisted his head while the body remained immobile.

A resounding crack reverberated through the room followed by a thud - she kicked the body to the ground, snarling like a mad wolf.

It is what she'd like to picture happen. But the reality is far more grounded that one would think.

 ***STING*** "- FUCK!"

"Augh!" Their foreheads collided painfully like two steam trains on a railroad at high speed together followed by a resounding thud.

Kasumi giggled as she plastered the band-aid onto her sister's forehead. The girl had knocked herself unconscious - which was saying a lot considering no ones ever had the pleasure of doing that. Though, he wasn't so sure about the pleasure part. Jake pressed the ice pack to his forehead, wincing from the cold.

Ayane looked different now that from her blood-crazed state; that feral grin - it scarred her. She didn't want to lose her sister.

Jake saw the regret and pain that swam in Kasumi's pool of gentle brown.

"I'll be outside," He said than stood up and left.

Ayane had accidentally spilled the water Jake was bringing her and the painkillers when she struck him; the loose black t-shirt clung to her figure in the most provocative way around her chest. The purple haired shinobi was not wearing a bra. He could see the outline of her nipples erect from the water and the air-conditioning. _Damn it..._

Once he was gone, Kasumi sat her sister up and proceeded to change Ayane's shirt careful while she does it.

That night, both parties would not get any sleep.

Jake with more questions than answers from Kasumi's explanation. And Kasumi on what her next course of action was.

-0000-

Morning came, Jake felt more tired than usual.

Last night had been crazy, he came home finding two wounded beauties in his living room - after being struck by a phone book. He chuckled at the impossibility of such a thing happening. He's just tired and his mind was playing tricks.

"Aahh - Oh, no!"

Or, was it!

The noise came from the kitchen, he could hear the oil boiling in the pan and...humming?

That was strange, did Sachi come home last night? He wondered.

 _You and I are over!_

Yeah, nope. He dismisses the thought with a sigh and a shake of his head.

Then...who was in the kitchen?

"It can't be..."

"Oh, Morning Jake."

It is.

"Y-you're still here?"

Kasumi pouted, "That's rude, Jake."

Jake was still confused, only more so now than before, scratching his head to show his confusion. So it was not a dream, there are two girls in his apartment - one sleeping on his bed - and the other currently making him breakfast with the bacon he got a few days ago and something he was sure he didn't get cause he doesn't know how to buy it - fish.

"Sorry, good morning..." He forgot what her name was.

"Kasumi. At your service, Jake Kashima-san."

They sat at the table after Jake cleaned up and brushed his teeth; Kasumi set aside some miso soup and grilled fish for Ayane while she and Jake had bacon and eggs. He had to hand it to her; she was pretty good - even if it was just bacon and eggs.

"How is she?" He asked.

"Ayane-chan, she's fine - she's doing a lot better today." She replied with a yawn. She didn't get any sleep at all.

Jake took a sip from his coffee (he's not a tea person) "Kasumi, right?" said Jake. "Why don't you take the day off and get some sleep. I'll look after Ayane."

Kasumi responded, "Oh, no, no. I can't Jake-san. That'll be placing a lot on your shoulders and besides you've allowed me and Ayane to stay here and we are grateful - and you've help plenty with her treatment so..." She yawned again.

Yup, that's it. She's having the rest of the day off. No arguments.

He abruptly stands up from his seat, pushing the chair back as he did. Wrapping one hand around her wrist, he begins to drag her; not rough enough to solicit a violent response but also Kasumi didn't offer much resistance; she knew he meant well.

Jake sits the copper-brown haired girl down on the couch which he slept on. He puts her feet up, making her lie perpendicular; she still protests like a child saying she's not sleepy _at all_. He just shoots her a doubtful look. The young man lies her down draping the covers her.

"B-but..." He pushes her head down on the pillow. It was funny because his mom had a hard time putting him to sleep when he was a kid; he recalls the fond memory, smiling at the irony.

"J-Jake, I -"

"Sleep." He cut her off mid-sentence, pushing her head down with his index finger on her forehead. Then pulling the covers over the copper haired girl. Thankfully he had switched the drapes the previous days in favor for darker one, it allowed for easier rest - especially at nights when he pulled them close. One couldn't even make out the outlines of their own hands in that darkness.

"Sleep, Kasumi." Jake said like a parent. And he almost busted out as as soon as he said that Kasumi pressed her head back onto the pillow like any good child that didn't want to anger their parents. Her soft snores followed after, and Jake wasn't sure if he wanted to be surprised or not at all.

Honestly, he watched exasperatedly as the copper haired girl went out like a light bulb. "Then again, she was up all night." He properly draped the covers over her dropping slightly under her neck.

Ayane stirred in her bed; she slowly regain consciousness - she recalled what happened before -

 _"FUCK!"_

 _"AUGH!"_

She grimaces at the band-aid on her forehead - luckily her violet bangs did a good job of covering that; now if only she could find her headband.

 ***Click***

 ***Creak***

"Morning," said Jake entering to find the tengu awake.

* * *

 **Author's note: Welp, another DOA fic; this time everyone's favorite (sort of) purple-haired Shinobi. No reason really as to why I wrote this; it just came to mind and wouldn't leave me alone.**


	2. Chapter 2

The room wasn't much but it was sufficient, functionality over anything she guessed as she looked around.

And it was all he could afford on a military paycheck.

"G'morning. . ." She replies in a guarded voice.

Now what? They both simultaneously thought. Jake mulled and searched his brain for something. _So much for the cool and calm entrance. . ._ he sighed. And settled for a simple and harmless question of, "You hungry?"

Great start!

He didn't thought out carefully on how to proceed with things. Which is why he found himself worried about "What happens when this girl (Ayane) sees that girl (Kasumi)?" he was almost breaking in cold sweat. Apparently this girl was as stubborn as he is.

They walked out into the living room.

Ayane stops, his chest nearly bumps into her back. Unless he felt like living without his _little guy_ he hit the brakes hard.

"...-Nee-chan?"

". . . Ayane-chan?"

A pin can drop and you would hear it. The awesome stillness, the two sisters face-to-face, brown eyes meet red, estranged siblings, whatever else you call it - If Kasumi's story was anything to go by, it meant he was in a killing field.

The line from the movie he watched on his laptop last night coming to mind.

 _None of you seem to understand. I'm not locked in here with you, you're locked in here with me!_

...

Seeing her Nee-chan, she felt for the first time no intent to maim or murder her, instead, it was like a cloud had been lifted off her eyes and she could see clearer.

 _Ayane-chan!. . .Ayane-chan!_

For the first time, Ayane felt unprepared to face her half-sister. Unprepared for the hug that made time itself stop around her and only the warmth and sweet smell of cherry blossoms registering on all senses.

"Thank goodness..." Kasumi sighed.

Rage clouded her mind for so long, the thoughts of spilling her sister's blood a drug that kept her going, and when the opportunity presented itself, she took it. The hate gave way to something that was...perverted in nature.

The same lust for carnage that her late father was known for. Raidou the terrible, her progenitor and black mark upon the Mugen Tenshin.

"I'm so glad you're okay," Kasumi gasped.

Maybe...maybe her sister wasn't so bad as she made it up to be.

But the question is, now what?

Do they go back to being like they used to before?

Unlikely.

She is Hajinmon, basically the whipping boy of the Mugen Tenshin. The wolf that the Tenjinmon loosen the chain to attack any that threaten the clan.

And Kasumi is Tenjinmon, the one who holds the chain; this large gap in class between them is what her Master always taught her about and made sure she remembered.

 _"Never, Ayane must you get close to anyone in the Tenjinmon sect, our relationship is that of slave and master. Remember that, we are as strong as they want us to be."_

...

He came home at night, remembering some last minute work he had to turn in personally.

Jake spent the whole half day completing it while the sisters did their _sisterly bonding thingy._ He sighed, stopping at a vending machine where he purchased a can of ice coffee.

He moans after taking a sip of the cool sweet-bitter beverage. His sister was right, these were the best after work.

The brown haired man took the time to _analyse_ the situation, he chuckled at using such a technosavvy term.

 _2 beautiful girls come into apartment - nobody knows; not even neighbors pet turtle._

No matter how you chose to slice it, it still looks like: 1. the setting for an extremely bad harem series. 2. Usually when two wounded girls find their way to your doorstep (or in this case through your window) something bad always follows.

He had no idea how true that second one was.

When he came home, the first thing he did was check to see if anything was stolen. _Nope._ Everything was where it should be. PlayStation plugged in...wai-wait a second!

"What are you doing?"

Kasumi had a look like she had been caught. Correction, is caught red handed.

She struggled to come up with an explanation, all of them started with: _It..it's not what you think...bla bla bla, yadda, yadda, yadda..._

Then came in the purple haired tornado, calling out she was home. _Now where the hell did she GO?!_

And, "I thought you were injured?" He questioned.

"I was," answered the girl indifferently. "But I'm also a ninja, versed in a hundred different ways of killing, master of stealth and deception." She proclaimed proudly.

Kasumi got up from her place on the couch, "Ayane!" She scolded. "You may heal faster than the average human but you still need rest regardless if you are above and beyond norm human conditions."

"Buzz off, _Ka-Su-Mi_."

"Who died and made you my big sister!"

Oh, crap.

 _Slap._ The sound alone made him tense, Kasumi stared, fury in her eyes, at her little sister. "How dare you!"

"ENOUGH!" Jake shouted. It couldn't be helped. Just a day ago, this girl to his right was dying, then this girl to his left was desperately trying to save her, dragging him in the process. The last thing he needed was to embroiled in some stupid sibling squabble. Not here. Not in his house!

Both girl visibly tensed, it reminded them of their training days when the instructors would yell at them when they repeated a mistake.

He wiped his face down with his hand. Letting out a loud agitated breath, then he spoke. "Look, I don't know what happened between you two - and I don't give a shit - but if you're gonna live here then you need to find a way to coexist."

Kasumi winced at his choice of words. But nevertheless she still nodded. He's right, they were merely guest in his home and they had to respect that.

"I'm sorry, Jake. I forgot my place there for a moment, please forgive this one for her behavior. It won't happen again." She apologized.

Ayane. . .Ayane still stood silently, left cheek red with a stinging hand print contrasting against her pale complexion.

"Ayane...?"

"Sorry," she said in a low tone.

Then she left, turning her back, and walking briskly like a teenager told to go to her room. The telltale sign of a door closing told him that much.

"I'll make dinner. . ." Kasumi offered but Jake stopped her.

"No, I'll do it."

"But -"

"Butts are for the ashtray."

The expression completely went over Kasumi's head. Her face showed she was asking clarification.

"My grandma...was a smoker. Every time if me or my dad tried to say something that started off with _but_ she'd say, 'Butts are for the ashtray.' It was her way of saying no excuses."

Kasumi giggled, "You must've been very fond of her."

"She was a bit of a hard ass."

"That's rude, Jake."

Oh, he remembered, Kasumi is a stickler for 'Rude' comments. "Sorry."

The mood lightened a bit, "Go back to your game or something. I'm sorry but it's the only entertainment I got here. Unless you like watching endless hours of news and soap operas and anime - the good shows are on Friday to Sunday."

Kasumi shakes her head, "Mmm, It's okay. I've always been interested in this...portable gaming console...thingy?"

He made a choked sound, "Really?"

She nodded.

From behind the door, Ayane heard the interaction between Jake and Kasumi. She tightened up her fist. There she goes again, getting all buddy-buddy with everyone. She envied her ability to communicate so easily with others, whereas she tries and it would come off as rude or belligerent.

She wanted to pound her fist into the wooden door but withheld back.

Instead, she just slides down till she was on the floor and hugged her knees and cried softly. Why can't she be more like her sister?

-0000-

"You sure you packed enough?"

"Yeah," She answers in that cheery voice of hers.

Her long auburn hair was let down to flow and dance in the gentle breeze of Dec 24th. She wore one of his coats, and some of his sisters clothing which she left here without his knowledge.

This 'Ceasefire' thing she had to discuss, if she left today she'd reach there by early tomorrow morning. But first she'd need help and apparently and _old_ friend was in town, so she'd go there and talk to him.

"I'll be fine, Jake." She reassures him with a smile. "Is Ayane. . . "

"Still sleeping last I checked."

"Please don't tell her, it's hard for her and I don't need her to have this on her mind."

"I understand."

She nods, "Thanks Jake." She cups his cheek and gives him a kiss on the other.

"You do 'whatever' it is you have to do. I'll look after her until you get back."

Then she was gone, like a ninja. He was still having a hard time coming to terms with that.

It was 10:30 when she woke. So says the digital clock with red digital numbers on its face. She gropes her abdomen over the area where the wound was...or used to be.

Fully healed.

"Nee-chan used Ninpo, I see." She said to no one particular.

Begrudgingly, she gets up, swinging her leg over the edge onto the floor. The sun was up brightly - as usual. She noted a set of clothes on the nightstand which she had to the best of her memory of ever putting there.

She hums to herself, but makes nothing of it and makes her way out of the room.

There was Jake on the table on his laptop, earplugs plugged in and listening to...something? She was uncertain, maybe he was watching something - she didn't know!

"Morning," She said warily, knowing she couldn't be heard, but to maintain common courtesy and of course painfully aware of what happened yesterday.

Her mind jogged then she registered something else!

Kasumi wasn't here!

"Good morning," Jake's voice broke her out of her stupor.

Ayane just nods.

"Where's..."

"She left this morning, she didn't say where other than she'd be back in a few. Days, weeks or months - I don't know."

She nods again, sounded like her _onee-chan_ alright.

Then she thinks about what happened last night.

"Umm, Jake-san..." She starts awkwardly. "I...uh...I want to ap..apologize." _Why is this so freaking hard?!_

"I'msorry!" She said without taking a breath.

When she hears no reply, she looks up to see the young man staring at her.

"What?"

...

While she bathed and changed into the new set of clothes, Jake made her breakfast which consisted of eggs, bacon and toast.

She ate with much gusto.

"How's your wounds?"

Ayane stops mid-chew, she swallows, and takes a small sip of tea to help wash down the food.

Then she speaks, "They're alright...I guess."

She was so awkward.

Jake continues what he was doing on his laptop while Ayane finished up and carried her dish to the sink to be washed.

After that she was in the living room lounging on the sofa. Time passed and eventually, the apartment felt stagnant with all the 'activity' going on and it became suffocating to the point he really literally couldn't breath.

 _That's it, we're going out!_ He internally decided. He was planning too anyways. Today marks the busiest day of the year, and it ain't work.

"Ayane," He addresses her. No one has ever spoke to her without honorifics before, Kasumi always added -chan, Momiji would use -San and the shinobi in her sect addresses her as 'Ayane-sama' to have him speak her name to blatantly was... _weird._

Yet, hearing her name roll of his tongue stirred something within her. Like...she liked it.

Like a normal person.

"Get changed, we're going out."

"Huh," she blinked.

She raises a delicate eyebrow, "Why?"

"I need to get some stuff," He tells her.

"Oh, and here I thought you wanted a date; that's okay though, beautiful girl like me anyone would want to date Ayane-sama."

"Anyone that doesn't know you personally that is," Jake mutters.

"I heard that!"

"You were meant to."

He smirks when he sees the spiteful look on her face. Yeah, he got to her.

-0000-

" _Ara,_ Jake. On a date, are we now young'un and who's this purdy lady here - My, aren't you the most beautiful flower ah have seen, my oh my."

Jake chuckles at the landlady's gushing over Ayane.

"Your hair, it's natural ain't it, young one?" Asked Fumiko holding a strand between her fingers.

No one has ever said that to her. They've all assumed she dyed it but this was the first time someone has ever been able to tell her that her hair color was natural. She hated it as it stood out in her village.

"Y-yes. . . uh, I didn't catch your name."

"Oh, pardon ma manners, Fumiko - the name's Fumiko Hara. Ah run this joint here - used to - with ma husband."

"Oh, um..where is he?"

The wrinkly old woman said, "Oh, he passed away around the time Jake here moved in."

"I...I see, I'm sorry for your lost, Fumiko-san."

The old landlady brushes her off, "Oh, Fumiko-san's ma mother. Call me Granny Hara, all them young tenants do." She laughs heartily.

"R-right, Granny Hara."

She was awkward in some places but seemed to grasps the basis of it. Ayane inwardly sighed, she really hoped to pull this off. Being polite and all.

"Oh, that reminds me, Jake, would you be a kind lad and help this old bird with some groceries, my legs are killing me and it's the middle of the busiest shopping day of the season?" Granny Hara holds out a torn off page of a notepad, on it, written in blue ink was a list of items he needed to procure for the old landlady.

"Oh, sure thing, Granny Hara."

"That's Fumiko-obaasan to you!" She playfully snaps at the young man. To which Ayane giggles. It was such a melodic tune that caught the granny and Jake's attention.

 _My, my, ain't that the most beautiful sound ah have ever heard._

Indeed it was, as Jake himself found it rather...pleasant to the ears.

...

As expected on a Dec 24th, the shopping was jammed pack. Correction, jammed pack was an understatement, if anything he could barely see the ground.

"Alright, stay close." He said, wrapping his fingers around Ayane's soft hands. _Wow, her hands are so soft. . ._

Unconsciously, he brushed his thumb over her palm feeling the calloused part.

Ayane was stooped silent as she stared at their interlocked hands. Only one other person has ever held her hand and that was Kasumi.

Not even Hayate has held her hand before.

The older women some recognizing him gave him looks that he interpreted as _ah, finally, Jake's got a girlfriend._

The men merely gave him thumbs up, onlookers, young and old looked at them like the cutest thing in the world. Ayane was blushing since this was the first time a person from the opposite sex's held her hand. A feat that was very un-Ayane like.

"Good going, boy-o!"

They stopped at the first store to get, he checks the list. . . turkey!

"Can I get a whole turkey please?"

The man behind the stall nodded, "Ah, good day, Jake." He was the a kind soul that helped him find the apartment he was currently in during his SDF days.

"It's good, Noro-san."

"Out with the girlfriend today, eh?" The man wiggled his eyebrows at the younger man.

Jake blushed a little, he's done that more than once now. Maybe he should see a doctor.

"Ah, not really, she's a friend from out of town. I'm just showing her around."

And before he forgot, he handed him Granny Hara's list which he took again with a nod.

"Ah, I see the old bird is cooking up a storm this year again."

Jake chuckled, yup, Granny - Fumiko-Obaasan cooks for an army. "I hear she's inviting everyone from the shopping district."

"That so...hmm, I guess I'll have to take a rain check on that. Happy Christmas to you then, young lad."

He turns to Ayane, "And welcome to our Sumiredo-ri...umm?"

"Ayane, Noro-san."

"Ah, Ayane-chan then. Welcome and happy holidays to you too."

"You too, Noro-san." She said with a bow.

 _Such a polite little thing,_ thought the shopkeeper as the pair now moved to locate the other things on the list.

Jake thought as he held the turkey, the old man must've been saving it for him. He'd have to thank him when he shows up at Fumiko-obaasan's feast.

"Next item on the list. . . "

They got back around 2 in the afternoon, in the end he had to rely on the help on some neighborhood kids - wee devils but they'll do anything for a Christmas cake and hot chocolate. Like he said, tiny devils.

"Thanks, Gin. Stay outta trouble."

The little silver haired boy waves at the older younger man and at Ayane as he scurried off to parts unknown with his band of brothers.

'See ya, Jake and pretty lady!"

Jake sighs and shakes his head, "Well, I'll take this to Fumiko-obaasan. Why don't you go upstairs and rest up."

He noted during their trip how out of breath Ayane was after a few stalls. But she just brushes him off when he addresses it to her.

"I'm fine."

She was not. Not surprising since it's only been like a day, her physical wounds may have healed up nicely but she was still reeling from blood loss. Stubborn little thing.

"You were thinking something bad about me, weren't you." She asked, more statement than it is question.

Jake just shakes his head nonchalantly, "No idea what you're talking about." Said the young man.

He takes the bag of groceries up to Fumiko-obaasan's apartment. She lives on the first floor so she doesn't have to take the stairs due to a bad leg. And she has strong averse for elevators, so there's that too.

"My, thank you, Jake."

"It was the least I can do for looking after me all these years, Fumiko-obaasan."

She smiles gently, like a grandmother to her grandson. "Here, kiddo. Happy Christmas." She places in his palm some 2000 yen.

"N-no, Fumiko-obaasan, I can't -"

"Yes you can!" He was taken aback when she raises her voice. "You can take this money. For God sake it's not much now take it. And don't you dare leave it here."

He just nods, a tear welling up in her eyes, Ayane steps forward. Today was a good day, she was able to "exercise" her social skills with others without resorting to sarcastic remarks or rude statements.

"Fumi - Granny Hara, is everything okay?"

"Oh, yes, dear child. Nothin' for ya ta worry about." She says palming the girls face. "You take good care of this boy-o here now, okay?"

The old lady's words compelled her to say yes, "Yes, Granny Hara."

-0000-

"W-what do you think's bothering her. I mean made her act like that?"

He didn't know. Something that bugged him really.

Jake wasn't used to the idea of a crying Fumiko-obaasan. The only time she was in tears was that one time when he moved in. Her husband had died then.

"I...I don't know but I hope she's okay now."

"Does she have anyone else?"

"What, like family?"

Ayane nods.

"I'm not really sure, but Noro-san did mention something about a son or something, I can't remember."

Ayane frowns, "You're hopeless." She remarks.

"W-what was that for?" He asked, alarmed.

But she just faces away from him, "Exactly what I said."

In the end, it was just hopeless to try to understand her. "You just have to look after her, Jake." He tells himself. Which is easier said than done.

"I just hope Kasumi is doing fine, the least I can do is just hope that there's at least one person doing alright."

-0000-

After packing away the stuff to be cooked later, and stuff to be cooked now, he notes how quiet the apartment was.

Not that he hasn't noticed before, but now the silence became overbearing.

"Guess I'll check on her," he murmurs and sets off to do just that.

Ayane snored softly as she slept. Fatigue hitting her like a train, she slept instantly the moment her butt touched the bed.

Jake smiles softly, the look she had as she slept, it was like she was just happy to finally be able to sleep.

He enters quietly, Ayane's ears twitched but she knows it's him based on his footfall.

Jake grips the blue blanket and brings it over her, dropping just under her neck, he brushes a few strands out of her eyes before exiting not before making sure the curtains were drawn.

"See ya later then."

...

Jake spends the rest of the day decorating the apartment which didn't take too long as it was a bachelor pad. Not everything went into storage, he was grateful for that. Most of it is brand new; bought it a couple weeks ago. Changed the curtains, plastered a star on the wall, he hung up some socks - two to three to be exact. Last but not least the 'Santa's little helper' or Watch Elf, which he placed coffee table; On second thought, let's just throw that back in the pile, thing is creepy as hell.

If he had his way, he'd take that little _cretin_ , take it to the woods, doused the thing in holy water and half a canister of gasoline and light the Mother- _shut your mouth_ on fire. The he'd scoop up the ashes, have a shinto priest perform a blessing-exorcism whatever it is they do, take it to the ocean and throw that sucker harder than Barry Bonds on the third inning.

Then he'd go home, but before that buy the biggest jar of salt and draw a salt line on his windows, and doors and every possible entry. Even a salt line around his bed, then throw some in the hallway. Wait a week, then remove it all; because Ghost have to give up at some point. They may be spirits but even spirits have other things to attend to then haunting his ass.

Jake had a fear for these kind of things; creepy, grinning puppets. He's afraid they might go _Chucky_ one night and murder him in his sleep.

He plugs in the lights and the small, well... _miniature_ Christmas tree he had for 2 years now on the table lights up in a myriad of different colors ranging from red, blue, green, yellow, purple and red again. The big tree was down in storage, and he didn't feel like taking it out now; because that would mean a trip down to North Tower, C-block. He shuddered at the thought of the task he'd be subjecting himself to. Not to mention the box of decorations which weighed more than the goddamn tree! How the (shut your mouth!) is that possible?!

"No, sir. Ha ha ha..." remarked the young man sarcastically with a straight face.

"Better start cooking," said Jake eyeing the stuff he had set aside to cook now.

-0000-

Jake wore an accomplished smirk on his face when finished the last dish and putting it on the table.

Everything was set.

He checks the time, "An hour more to kill - might as well take a shower."

Ayane rolled carefully onto her side as she stirred.

She stretches as she yawns, that was a good sleep, she told herself.

Getting up, she makes her way out of Jake's room, the smell of food hits her and her stomach rumbles which tells her she hasn't had lunch since coming back.

Coming out, she sees the table prepared, lined up with assortments of food. The sight of it whets her appetite.

She did a double take, was she living with one of those perfect guys from Anime. Hah, she doubted it.

 _Knock, Knock, Knock._ Someone's at the door, she thought. She moves to investigate; Ayane made sure to arm herself - taking a steak knife with her and tucking it behind her back before starting for the door.

"Jake honey, it's Sachi. Listen I know I've been a bad girl but you've got to get crazy. Let's take me back, shall we?"

Who was this chick and what's with that fake, flirty, borderline desperate tone she was using. Ayane grunted in disgust. _Yuck!_ But a impish grin make its way up her lips, maybe she could have a little fun with his person. Just a little.

She opens the door, the look on Sachi's face was pure confusion.

"Um... Jake's in the shower now." Ayane tried her best innocent impersonation, meek voice and all.

"Ugh, and who are you?" Sachi asked, rather rudely, narrowing her eyes. Ayane gave her a once over, a Santa hat and an over-sized tanned coat that reached down to her ankles, and she saw peeking out from underneath...leather high heels?

"I...I'm Suguha, Jake's neighbor."

"Never seen you before," She replies rather snobbishly.

"I'm new, I just moved here recently and Jake. . .."

Sachi held up her hand, stopping Ayane or rather Suguha then mid-sentence, and remarked haughtily "Yeah, yeah save it, I want to know about your sorry life, I'll give you a call. But right now where's Jake?" Sachi's tone grew annoyed.

This girl was really pushing all of her buttons now. Ayane's grip increased on the knob, she may have crushed it but at the moment she could give a shit. This _slut_ here was being rude. And there are two things Ayane didn't like: 1. A bitch, 2. A bitch being rude...to her!

Ayane pressed herself against the door, using her frame to apply additional pressure to it, "L-like I said, he's in the shower." She kept up the timid facade but boy oh boy was her blood boiling.

The taller brunette tries to force herself in, but Ayane stops her. "P-please, we're busy now." Ayane continuously pressed herself tightly against the door, one knee bent bracing against the hard wood; Meanwhile, Sachi's fingers found purchase on the frame and was using her entire body to force herself through the small gap she managed to create.

"With what?!" Now Sachi was pissed.

"Who are you and what are you doing in my boyfriend's apartment." She snapped; Sachi scowled at this _little girl_ like she was an urchin; a roach that needed to be crushed.

"B-but you just said - "

"I know what I said!" Her scowl increased, that and her ragged hair gave her the impression of a witch. A witch-bitch, she smiled (on the inside) at her own joke.

That's it. Ayane lets go. The door swings open, nearly flying off the hinges.

"Uwaah!" Sachi stumbles forward, nearly driving her face into the wall. Unfortunately, she didn't. Much to Ayane's dismay.

"Do you know what would happen if I had hit that! I could sue you for assault!"

"Oh, really, I thought you could use a face lift." Ayane retorted.

Sachi was in pure borderline disbelief, "Oh, what did you say to me!"

"You heard me you dumb bitch." Ayane bit out with much venom.

"Oh, and who the _fuck_ do you think you are?"

"I'm Jake's new girlfriend."

The purplenette Kunoichi dropped the innocent facade and went full Ayane.

Sachi was speechless, she tried to find the words to say but ended up doing a perfect impression of a goldfish.

"oh..oh, you -"

"Yeah, he's really sweet. He's so kind and caring and gentle and..." Ayane whistles as she fans herself while drawing out syllables telling her _story_ . "He's _reaally_ good in bed. We went at it so much, I'm still a little sore down there. He's very forceful." Doing suggestive movements with her body; rubbing her thighs together, even faking a blush and making her eyes glassy and all that - even panting a little as she recalled a _wild_ night that never happened. Ayane was squeezing every bit of emotion out of this girl; it was bliss.

She was spit-balling here. Maybe they haven't slept together, maybe they have. Either way, she's either digging her own grave or digging her own grave.

Every word was like a nail to the head, Sachi was in total disbelief at this...this... _little GIRL!_ She went on and on getting into excruciating details that what she was telling her really and did happen.

"And look, he marked me." Ayane shows a spot on the side of her neck. _A HICKEY!_

Sachi was as red as the devil himself when she saw that. Little did she know was that before Ayane _allowed_ her in, she had pinched herself real hard in the neck to make it look like a hickey.

"You...you..." The reporter couldn't find the words to say while pointing an accusing finger at the purple haired girl and was soon out of the door screaming bloody murder.

"Bye, bye!" Ayane mockingly bade.

Jake came out shortly sporting a new shirt. Hair wet which he was currently busy drying. _So he was in the shower. . ._

"Hey."

"Hey!" Ayane greeted cheerily. Her victory was ascertain as she closes the door.

"Who was at the door?"

"Oh, no one." She dismisses with a small giggle.

He bought it. "I get that a lot. Whole wrong address thing."

Ayane nodded, faking understanding. "Come on, let's eat, I'm starving." She makes her way into the dining room still wearing that smile. That was good. That felt real good. She looks back at the door where the little confrontation had taken place and sticks her tongue out.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Merry Christmas, all you readers. Here's a new chapter. More to come, and I wish you all a safe and happy Holiday, Merry Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza and etc, etc.**_

 _ **Bye!**_


	3. Chapter 3

"You seriously told her that?" asked Jake in a voice a mixture of bewilderment and great fascination.

"Uh-huh," Ayane nodded triumphantly, still to come down from her winning high. She was all smiles at the moment, recalling the events that transpired between her and his reporter ex.

Jake chuckled, he would've never been able to turn her Sachi away, he would've fold under her. She was that great of an actor able to put up any front, she should probably reconsider her career.

"Can we eat now?" Ayane grumbled, her stomach was already growling for sustenance and the food on the table wasn't doing anything to alleviate it.

"Not yet," He chided.

She pouts, glaring at him as she crosses her arms beneath her chest.

Instead, Jake has something else in mind in terms of food.

"I'm gonna make us some hot chocolate, how 'bout that." Ayane perks up, like a child when she hears her favorite cartoon is on or, when it involves something sweet. In this case, Hot Chocolate.

"For me too," She raises her fist at the idea of hot chocolate. She can't help it, after all, it is her favorite drink.

Her first cup was sometime in Kyoto, when she was still pursuing Kasumi on her quest for revenge. There was a store across from the place where she was last seen. The waitress then was a high school girl with salmon pink hair, red eyes like hers but she had a bubbly personality.

 _'Welcome to the Hideout, I'll be your waitress tonight. What can I get you, miss?._ Ironic, since she was staking out the area. It seems the Hideout suited this place. It was _classy_ if she ventured a guess, would be like those Italian cafes in movies she caught late night after another unsuccessful yet successful hunt. Did she catch Kasumi, no. Did she stop a crime, yep.

 _'Uh..."_ She looked over the menu, her first thought was something along the line of: _What the hell's with the squiggly words!_ Something like that.

 _'If I may make a personal recommendation, the Hot Chocolate is very good. Especially for weather like this.'_

Ayane looks out the window, true enough, it was cold and snowy. Too snowy.

The waitress takes down her order while Ayane busied herself with the passerby's walking pass to and fro, living their lives in the light unaware of her existence in the dark. How bleak, she thought.

"Here," the sweet smell of chocolate wafts in the air, entering her nostrils, she inhales the aromatic scent.

Her slim fingers wrap around the handle of the ceramic blue mug - a gift from his sister - the dark brown liquid with a few marshmallows bobbing on the surface.

"Your welcome," Jake says sarcastically after her long silence since taking the cup and taking a small sip of the contents and allowing a pleased sigh from her lips.

"Hot chocolates the best~" She said dreamily.

 _Sheesh._ The IT security worker rolled his eyes before taking a sip himself then nodding in approval. Not too sweet. Not too hot. Just right, he took another sip and his phone rang.

"Excuse me," he says but Ayane isn't listening. Not that he cared, this was a private matter.

 _Caller ID: Mom_

 _"Hello."_ He answers once out on the balcony.

Another voice responds. A female voice.

 _"Hi, Honey, it's mom."_

 _"Yeah, I kinda got that. What's up, are you on the way?"_

She sounded uneasy, like she was thinking 'how should I say this?'

He noted the sound of her uneasy tone on the other end; the other sound coming through being that of the busy background of her workplace.

 _"Listen, I'm not gonna be able to make it this year, I'm sorry. I know you put a lot of though and preparation into this gathering but. . . "_

He cuts her off. _"Nah, It's okay. You're busy and all. It's a good thing I didn't go grocery shopping then otherwise it would've been a 'Waste.' Imagine, all that stuff made and no one over - a lot of work for a no show. Right."_

 _Please don't say anything!_ The thought circulated in his brain. The words like vinegar in his mouth. He swallowed as his mother answered.

 _"Yeah, I know that."_ She agreed. _"I still remember Christmas when you were in High School, the amount of work, clean the house, get the stuff, cook the meals and everything..."_

He chuckled, _"Yeah, I remember that - I accidentally spilled some Mountain Dew on the rug after you had it cleaned up and all. I remember having my PlayStation privileges cut off until Christmas morning because Uncle Azami's rowdy bunch of rodents for children."_

 _"That's rude,"_ Jake's mother chided. _"But you're right - those little nightmares. How does my sister do it? You and Himiko were never like that."_

 _"That's something you're gonna ask her yourself."_

He needed to stop this, he was just killing himself prolonging this conversation.

 _"I guess I really should."_

Another silence before his mother asked again, _"Did you try your sister - I mean, did you try Himiko?"_

 _Of course, I did!_ He did, _"Yeah, I did. She can't make it too. She's going to Milan - some winter Fashion show or something. I don't know."_

His mother sounded surprised, _"Wow - Milan, huh. Guess somebody's gonna be having a rather extravagant Christmas, eh."_

 _"Yeah, sure..."_

 _". . . . . ."_

 _"Listen, Jake. Son, I'll try to make it up to you on New Years, okay?"_

 _Don't make promises you can't keep, mom. . ._ He tells her, _"Nah, look, if you can't then don't force yourself. You gotta prioritize."_

He goes on, killing himself even more. _"Those patient at the hospital, they got no one to spend a Christmas yet." **Like me.** "Their kids or relatives are probably (well, some are) inconsiderate, they just think 'Oh, the hospitals gonna look after them' and up and leave for the Canary Islands. Then somethings happens and they blame it on the hospital. They blame it on the staff. They blame it on the doctors. Then you have a media firestorm from one of the suing." _

Jake felt his mother smile on the other end, she sounded choked up a bit. _"I really did raise a good son, didn't I? I did a good job, right?"_

He nods, and tells her. _"Yeah, you did. You sure did. Thanks and. . .Merry Christmas."_

 _"I'm sorry for disappointing you. Not just this Christmas but also all the times when you were growing up."_ She sobs.

This was one of those moments when it was better to say nothing at all. Just lend your ears and listen. So he did.

He listens.

He nods.

He thanks her.

She was definitely the bread maker of the family. A strong woman.

But for once, just once, in his life, he wanted them to be together as a family. Dad or no Dad.

 _"Alright..."_ She whistles. _"I- My breaks over now, I gotta go before the Head Nurse gives herself a myocardial infarction."_

He chuckles, a little, at the joke. How many times has he heard jokes about the Head Nurse and the variations of strokes and other attacks she'd give herself from all the screaming and shouting. _And I thought nurses were Earthen Angels bringing hope to the sick. . ._ He sighed.

 _"Are you okay?"_

He jerks up, _"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine."_

Misses (or Miss) Kashima didn't sound all too convinced by his answer. If anything he could feel the raised brow above her left eye now. _"You were sighing, Jake Kashima. And you know if you do that, you release all the happiness within you. Now catch that happy and put it back in. I'm waiting."_

 _"Did you do it?"_

 _"Yeah, I did."_ No, he didn't.

 _"Jake. . . "_

 _"What...?"_

 _"Jake..."_

 _"Alright, alright,"_ He reaches out with his left hand, like he was reaching out to grab something, he grabs air then opens his mouth, making sure to 'Ah' open wide as he does and pushes the empty air back in, then lowers the same hand under his chin and pushes up.

 _"...there."_ He said.

 _"Good boy, now I gotta run - And please don't have that Sachi girl over. I'm not at all too fond of her. She seems...manipulative."_ Well, he's gotta give her that. She pretty much hit the last nail on the coffin. The others had already been done in by Ayane.

 _You have no idea,_ He thought bitterly. The number of times she's 'conned' him into doing things. _"Oh, you don't have to worry about her." **Not anymore**. _

Again, he feels the raised eyebrow and the accusing voice making its way to his ear canals. _"Why is that, Jake Kashima - tell me the truth or so help me..."_

 _"We broke up." **Way better than me saying 'Ah, she broke up with me.'**_

 _"Oh...I...uh, are you - no nevermind."_

 _"What...what...come on, tell me."_

 _"Nothing, it's just, you've known her for what 2 years, you were so happy when you introduced her to us. Are you..."_

 _"Oh, yeah,"_ He jokes. _"I'm fine. It wasn't working out after I started 'seeing' her true self."_

 _"Oh,"_ Misses (or Miss) Kashima sounded relieved and surprised. _"Well, it was nice speaking with you again, Jake. I gotta go. Bye honey. And sorry, again."_

He smiles, _"Oh, yeah, sure. See ya at New Years then. Hopefully this time you'll make it."_

 _"Yeah...New Years, bye son. And Merry Christmas."_ She says and the line hangs up.

Now in place of his mother's voice was the steady beeping of a deadline. The sound of a call that had been ended.

Jake slides the red "End Call" button on the screen before depositing the device in his pocket.

He sighs, what a shame, he thought shuffling back into the apartment.

Ayane was leaning next to the door, arms crossed under her _modest_ bust. "Family not coming this year, huh." said the Purplenette.

He frowns, didn't she know the meaning of privacy. Or, even know of it's existence. "How much did you hear?" he asked in a guarded tone.

"Around 'Sister going to Milan' I think. No. Oh wait, yeah around there." She answered half-jokingly and half-honestly. It came off as brash and sarcastic in his eyes. Heck, she even used a brash and sarcastic tone.

Jake shoots her a pointed stare, she feels it, "What! I'm a nosy girl. Sue me." she says before pushing herself of the wall and headed into the living room.

Then she stops halfway, and turns her head and tells him. "The Hot Chocolate was good by the way...thanks."

He is a little taken aback. A proper thank you. Unlike the loud breathing from this morning. Guess that gives her a few points to move into Santa's Nice List. He sighs, oh what the hell! "Shall we eat then?"

-0000-

"I don't think we're gonna be able to eat all this," Jake allowed himself the benefit of the doubt, staring at the table of food that seem to stretch endlessly.

Ayane rolled her eyes and remarked, "Well, what do ya think, numb nuts! You practically cooked for a whole family!" she said bluntly.

"Hey, that was none of your business," growled Jake.

"As I've said before, I'm a nosy girl, so if you don't like it then sue me!" She turns to the side, blood boiling and fuming at this hard headed idiot. _"Baka..."_

"I heard that."

"You were meant too."

He turns, and so does she. She stares at him with eyes twinkling with mischief and allows her a teasing, smug grin to stretch her lips. _Bleh,_ she sticks her tongue out at him.

"Right..." Jake says then turns his attention back to the table. "I got an idea."

-0000-

"Mah, mah, who could it be at this hour, hmmm?" Fumiko Hara mutters to herself.

Someone was knocking at her door, it was pass 7 p.m. - normally she'd be asleep now or getting ready to at least. But tonight...

She groans at her aching leg, it was getting worse and worse with each day, pain killers only did so much. Life can be so cruel sometimes, she thought bitterly.

"Oh, Jake and...Ayane?" She gasps at the sight of the two young people. "My, what brings you here tonight, hmm? And all that food...w-what's this all about?"

Jake smiles awkwardly, "...Uh, can we come in?"

"..."

Ayane explained to Granny Hara the reason for their visit while Jake busied himself with setting up the table. There was a little too much food made,

"Oh, dear me, I'm sorry to hear that Irina cain't make it this year." She feels sorry, this here young man has always put family first before a lot of things, she knows - she's watched after him after all.

Jake smiles, sadness swimming in his brown eyes, "It's okay, really. This year was just too busy for them. You know, my sister and her fashion and my mom with her job and all. It's all good, it was the same when I was training."

Fumiko-obaasan nods, understanding where he is coming from. "Ah understands, ma Jake."

As for Ayane, one word sticks, _Training?_ Just what training indeed.

"Well, I'm done here." Jake announces.

...

"So, Granny Hara, if you don't mind me asking - Why were upset this afternoon when we came to deliver the groceries?"

Granny Hara takes a moment, she breathes, she stops doing what she's doing, and stares down at her food, a solemn look gracing her features as she recounts this afternoon's incident.

"Ya noticed, eh."

Granny Hara looks up from her plate, staring straight at Jake who was sitting beside Ayane, also wearing that curious look on his face as he waited for her to start telling them the reason for her little outburst this afternoon and the forcing of 2000 yen into his hand.

"Ma son, ya remember him, right Jake?"

Jake nods, "Y-yes, ma'am. I do. Kimihito, right? That was his name."

Granny nods, "Yes, mm-hmm, I gots a call today, he was saying he wouldn't be able to make it. He was going to some Island in Spain for a company conference but I knew better." She looks at them smirking now, "I calls the company, and they say he's gone on a vacation with the boss and some of his workmates. A woman, ah figures as much."

"Kids, ya raise them, give'em everything, and they - sometimes - forget you. Maybe he's right, maybe ah am holdin' him back. Ah, an ol' washed up gal - "

"NO!" Jake slams his palm into the hardwood table. "You're not a burden and you're not holding him from anything!"

Fumiko-obaasan gasps, she's never seen Jake so upset. He was always riding things out, the good, the bad, all of it. But now...it's like something finally snapped.

"You've given me a home, just like you did him. You've taken care of me when others couldn't, just like you did him. You...you've...and I...I just wan-...Thank you. If that bastard of a son owes anyone anything, is that he owes you a depth of gratitude. Get on back on the horse, you told me that, Fumiko-obaasan. Keep trying until you get it! And I did, I work in an IT company that specializes in defense against online threats. I... Maybe it's time you follow your own advice, call him, tell him to come home, this is a family holiday, so he should adhere to that, tell him if he wants to, he can bring that boss-lady-friend of his with him as well."

"It's Christmas eve, dammit!"

Now he knows. Looking back at his situation, he was still lucky he still had a mom and a sis but although the reasons differed, the circumstances remain the same. But she, her, Granny Hara, her time is running out. She hasn't any other family aside from her son, Kimihito. And now, he's decided to ditch a family holiday in favor of travelling with the boss - whom he finds out is a woman - compared to him, he's got it rather easy but Granny, not only won't her son be here for Christmas but New Years as well, as that's what the boss's secretary told her.

But damn it, if he wasn't gonna try to at least make sure someone close to him has family to spend the holidays with.

This was one of those moments where she bit down any snarky remarks and shut up.

After that, he simmers down, look closely and you'll see steam evaporating from his head as he took a seat back down, Ayane looks at him in bewilderment, stunned silent beyond words, and that's saying a lot since she's never allowed anything to surprise her.

Things were quiet as nobody said a word, not a peep, just dead-level silence. Ayane pondered the true meaning of family. What it truly means? She reviews back to her life in the village, living in the Hajinmon sect, living with her master, Genra-sensei.

She's never called him anything else, and he's never asked her to call him anything beside Genra-sensei, or sensei or _shishou_.

Genra was both a master and a father to her, but even then there was always something missing. If she were to describe it, it'd be cold. Just cold, in a home that provided warmth and shelter from the elements of the harsh nature.

It was wake up, train, eat, go to sleep, and repeat. Only three instances where she actually saw Genra-sensei and that was, at meals, training and... Actually make that just two instances. Until she figures out what the third is or comes up with one.

But here...with these strange, unique individuals with different personalities, she felt it. That warmth that was missing.

Funny, how'd that get here, right? They were strangers, she didn't know that, but they've treated her with such kindness and not once have they asked about her.

Jake settles down, downing his glass of orange juice, no alcohol. He didn't need Granny Hara in intensive care on this fine Dec 24th.

"Ah never liked the woman much, maself. A damn harpy, with her looks and all, she's a pretty face but her attitude ain't so swell." Granny broke the silence as she snarled as she remembered the first time she saw the photo of her son and the snake lady.

"I reckon she's one o them gals. She must o got on them expensive perfumes that can make ma nose hurt and mah eyes water." She shakes her head, while hugging herself and shuddering as she conjured the image of the woman coming into her home.

Jake and Ayane laughed.

"Well, at least bring your son back, and if he has that harpy's scent then please call the construction crew, we're gonna need a bigger window to get that stench out."

They laughed again.

For Ayane, this was as close to an experience she'd get to what if feels like to have a real family, to have that one moment, to laugh, to share. It makes her feel welcomed and...warm in her heart.

-0000-

"That was a little hypocritical, don't you think?" said Ayane.

They rode up the elevator in relative silence, after having bade goodbyes' with Granny Hara, with the old woman whispering something he couldn't quite catch to Ayane. But from the looks of it, whatever she told her seemed to have had her in a sort of trance now as they exited.

 _Take care of her now, Jake - she's a keeper._

"You got me, Sheriff." said Jake trailing behind Ayane a few steps back. They walked till they arrived at his apartment door.

"So you can't get your family to come home for Christmas eve dinner but have the gall to give Granny Hara advice on reuniting the family, huh. I thought better of you."

He smirks, "Okay, first off, we've only known each other for half a day, it hasn't been 24 hours yet. And secondly, you're right. I am a hypocrite. But at least I'm honest about it, eh."

He opens the door, moving aside, gesturing for Ayane to enter. "Oh, please, ladies first, right." he mocked.

But just as he was about to pass under the threshold, she stops him. An arm shoots out in front of his chest, blocking him from entering.

"Someone's inside," whispered Ayane.

His first thought was that it was Kasumi. Another, far more unpleasant one, he kept in the recesses of his mind.

 _Please don't let it be..._

They entered, Ayane keeping Jake behind her, acting like a shield. Unarmed, she grabbed a...broom? Was he serious? But it was the only thing he handed her, that or his shoes.

"Stop. Turn around with your hands where I can see them!"

The cop play, really!

The intruder shrieked, a familiar voice, Jake reaches to the left, the light switch, flicking it on.

"Goddamn it, Takehito!"

"J-Jake..." The man named Takehito sighed as he took in the form of his friend and workmate.

"P-put that broom away, friendly, don't you know friendly." He groaned, as the man now took a seat on the couch.

Hey, she wanted to sit there.

"Merry Christmas eve, Jake!" Takehito held out his fist. Jake bumped it. "Yeah, likewise..." He said in a low voice.

...

They got down to talking, Takehito got kicked out...again. "Bro, I appreciate it but you gotta stop upsetting her." His girlfriend, Yuri had caught him again, this time with risque photos of DOA contestants in swimwear - female of course. His fascination with these so called fighters - borderline obsessive - were the reasons for the many quarrels and why he shacks up with Jake some times. Most of the times. 3 times a week.

How the hell does Yuri put up with him? That's something he rather not know. The fact they two have the same hobby (if he could call it that) was jarring to say the least. At least she keeps it under wraps.

"So, who's the girl, she looks familiar?" Darn it, this was bad, if he finds out that he has Ayane - a DOA contestant - living with him, the poor man's soul wouldn't be able to take it.

So...now what!

"She's uh...a friend. Yeah!" He said, dumbly.

That didn't seem to convince the other man at all, if anything just raised more questions.

"Oh, really..." he drawled. "What's her name then."

 _Fuuuck!_ He begged, pleaded with his brain to come up with an answer - and not the dumb one that just landed him 6 feet deeper into his own grave - at the moment.

He can do this. _I can do this._ He just had to focus. _I just have to focus._ And come up with a girl name that was believable and delay what could possibly be a Chernobyl meltdown. Only this was an emotional meltdown. _How hard can it be right. . ._

"She's..."

Takehito narrowed his eyes, watching for any slip up, sharp as a hawk that soared above the air and watched and waited patiently for his prey, the rabbit, who in this case is Jake Kashima to make a mistake.

"Her name's..."

 _Stella, Yuriko, Hana, Tome, Rize, fucking Clarabell!_ All those were girls who used to go to his school back when he was in highschool. Minus Clarabell, and Stella, he didn't know how those got there.

"Sakura, _desu._ "

Oh, Thank - wait a second! Oh great, now he's gonna have to take his friend down to E.R. Doctor asks what? He'll just say a broken heart and shattered soul.

Ayane smiled meekly, acting like a shy girl as she bowed and and reintroduced herself. "Kirishima Sakura, _yoroshiku._ "

Jake spots his friend out the corner of his eyes to see if he could spot the soul that was currently leaving through his gaping mouth while he looked upon the so-called Goddess (Takehito's words not his) in the flesh. Instead -

"Ha..." He was grinning from ear to ear, he was in cloud nine. Jake saw a tiny bit of pink dust on his cheeks as Ayane now made her way to where they were and plopped herself right besides Jake. She changed her hairstyle, it was tied up in a ponytail that held by her bandanna with her bangs parting in the middle.

" _What the hell are you doing?_ " He spoke out the corner of his mouth while maintaining a close look of his friend still lost in... Nevermind.

" _Saving your ass! God, you're hopeless - can't you tell a lie?!_ " They argued in hushed whispers, the corner of their mouths moving as they exchanged words aggressively.

" _I can, if you give me time to prepare._ "

Ayane just rolls her eyes, "Ugh..." she groans.

"You two sure are close." commented Takehito whose presence they have completely forgotten in their heated exchange.

His eyes were watching them... _closely_. Scrutinizing, prodding them, trying to get a reaction out of them as they stopped, the argument dropped, a neutral look dancing across their features as they waited for...waited for what again?

"Uh...no...no, we're not actually that..."

"Yeah, there's no way..."

They both spoke simultaneously, both sentences mixed and mashed, it sounded like gibberish to him as he sighed. "Whoa, whoa, easy. I said nothing about you two being _that_ close. Why so nervous?"

"Oh, right...haha, yeah I knew that." chuckled Jake, scratching the back of his head sheepishly while Ayane...he groped the spot where she sat. Nothing. No one. Just a warm spot where her derriere sat. She was -

 _Gone!_

"Where'd she- "

"She looks a little like Ayane doesn't she?"

 _Crap!_ He smiled nervously, sweat forming on his back, _keep it cool, Jake. You're not a big DOA fan so act like how you used to be - clueless and all._ "Really?"

Takehito nods, "Come on, I mean look: purple hair, red eyes, pale skin, and big _jugs_." He wanted to laugh but the description just made it all the more worse for him. He didn't know how correct he was and how deep of a nail he pretty much hammered into his skull.

"I thought Ayane was the one with the brown hair?"

"Nah, that's her sister, Kasumi."

Jake calms a little now, seems like the trick was to act like you don't know when you do know (somewhat) which is what you were before her, "You sure have done your homework, didn't you?"

"Yeah, well, take it from a guy who writes yuri fanfic with his spare time with his fujoshi girlfriend doing a doujin RyuxHayate beside him - research is key to all great authors."

That was a little creepy, if the shivers up his spine were anything to go by, he just smiles despite the obvious of how disturbing it is - not the fanfic part, that's normal - that your girlfriend is right beside you doing the same thing only with a different pairing. Shouldn't these things be done in private?

"I won't ask for you to expand on that, other than please keep to yourself." Jake tells the man, Ayane (now Sakura) coming back, coming from the back of the apartment.

"Hi, so whatever you guys been talking about?" She sits herself beside Jake again.

Jake interjects before Takehito could answer, "Oh, Take here was just telling me how much you look like _Ayane_ from Dead or Alive. Funny, because I thought _Ayane_ was supposed to be a brunette, I didn't realize she had purple hair." Each time he said her name, he moved his eyes, indicating them to his friend then the hallway.

Was he telling her to leave? Oh, really... _Him,_ a normal guy, with no fighting skills, telling her to leave. Well, there's only one problem with that, Jake. She leaves if she wants to.

"Ara, Takehito-kun, flattery won't get you anywhere." She laughs. He could tell it was fake based on how forced it seemed. _Who laughs like that?_

And secondly, _Ayane, what the hell are you doing?!_

 _Hmph, that'll teach you!_ Thought Ayane, shooting him a smirk.

"Ahaha, no, I have a girlfriend already, Sakura-san. If anything, I say Jake here could use a woman."

Takehito sends him a wink, _I got this,_ he figured as to what the wink actually meant. His friend was just clueless about the fact that _Kirishima Sakura_ was actually _Ayane None Given_ and that he was trying to set him up with a dangerous ninja woman.

"Oh, no, he wouldn't be able to handle a girl like me...I'm too _forceful_ you see."

"And I got a girlfriend!" _Actually now Ex technically..._

"An _EX-_ girlfriend...I talked to Yukio from logistics, and he says, he heard from a buddy of his, who had this friend who says you two have broken up."

They both answered simultaneously, "What?"

-0000-

"Hey, Jake, thanks for letting me stay here tonight, man." Said Takehito the co-worker, a blanket draped over him below waist.

Jake rolls his eyes, his back was turned to his friend so he didn't see it, wasn't suppose to anyway. "Whatever, just fix this... _thing_ between you and Yuri. And don't go off ogling gravure pics of other girls when you have a girlfriend - and a keeper too - it's creepy and irresponsible."

"Yeah, I know, but these girls, there's something about them that sets them apart from other girls."

"Yeah, big tits and ass, that's what."

Takehito sighs, he sits up "You don't understand, Jake. Kasumi is wanted fugitive from her clan, she disobeyed a direct order to go and avenge her brother Hayate and because of that she has been marked for death. There's a reward for it too."

 _What?!_ This was something he's never heard off - she didn't mention it to him - only said it was a family problem and she had to go talk to them. And weren't these things supposed to be like... _classified?_ Wait, the ceasefire!

 _Is that it, did she go back to negotiate her sentence..._

He'd figure it out somehow but Kasumi was more than unwilling to expand on that subject when asked.

"And Ayane is her half-sister, Kasumi's mother Ayame was raped by this rogue dude called Raidou, he's dead now though, and Ayane grew up an outcast because others feared that she would turn up just like her father so they treated her poorly and made her into a pariah."

He looks to the door of his room, the room she slept in, where Ayane slept in. "An outcast?" referring to the girl behind that door.

Takehito heard him mutter and answered, "Yes, she's been hunting Kasumi because she thinks after it has been revealed that she was the daughter of the village head, was unfair that she couldn't be recognize as such because of her father, and Kasumi's uncle."

"Raidou..." Jake muttered.

"Yes."

"So, now you see, it's not about fame."

"How do you know all this...?"

"Would you believe me if I told you I kinda peeked into the classified section of the archives? As in level 7 classified."

-0000-

It was morning, but he wasn't feeling the brunt of not sleeping for 48 hours straight. Twice in a row, first when Kasumi and Ayane arrived. Second which he used to pour through articles and stuff on the internet and whatever he could siphon off his friend now snoring walrus on his couch.

"I swear to god if he doesn't shut up I'm gonna kill him..." Jake told himself as the buzz-saw sawing through wood resounded through his small apartment.

 _You idiot, Takehito..._ He held the small drive in his hand containing all the data that was copied off the archives.

 _It's untraceable. Promise._

He groaned frustrated as he got off the seat, his behind was aching as he stretched, groaning blissfully which each pop before yawning and making his way to the bathroom to wash his face.

And today was Christmas. No gifts under the tree, he didn't buy them.

It was fairly early in the morning, six o'clock to be exact, he could use a walk and a change of scenery...and sound.

Jake changed out of previous nights clothes and opted for a more comfortable black track suit with red linings up the sleeves and pant leg.

"Mornin' Jake, going out are we?"

"Just taking a walk, Goto-san."

That was his neighbor, Goto. He worked down at the national archives as a security guard, though his time was nearing an end, at 50, that was the official retirement age. He has a daughter his age, and he's had a feeling the man had on more than one occasion tried to set him up with her. He meant no harm of course, and it wasn't like she was ugly or anything, far from it actually. She was one of those sought after girls on campus where the others talk shit about and men tried to hit on her but were turned down on the spot.

She had looks. And she had smarts.

But...he wasn't looking at the moment. He never saw Ana as anything more than a sister. No disrespect to Goto-san, any man would be lucky to have someone as smart and beautiful as Ana. Just not him.

"I'll see ya around then, Jake. Take it easy now."

"I will, Goto-san. Tell Ana 'Merry Christmas' for me." He called as he started down the path to a park not far from here.

6 minutes of jogging later, he arrived.

 _Yuujo park -_ Friendship park.

He breathed in the cold winter air and then exhaling. He felt at peace.

This place in the mornings always calmed him down, it was fairly new, recently build actually. It finished two weeks ago, and he's been coming here since then for his morning workouts.

He comes mainly mornings because it was less crowded, a few elderly doing some radio exercise, some athlete-types running around the school track field size path, while others, dancers and parkour runners (they were still new in Japan) did their...thing in the square.

At least 20 people, he counted. He started off with some stretches, then 20 push-ups followed by 20 sit-ups, after that it was his legs, stretching them, hyping himself up before he started running.

"Let's see, 4 laps around is a mile..." he calculated the distance and the laps needed to make 4. His time in the SDF was 31.42. Let's see if he can break that record today.

Throughout the run, his mind was stretched over the events of last night, the dinner down to the talk he had with his friend.

Just 2 days ago, he couldn't or didn't care for who these people were that end up in his apartment, other than he wanted them gone. But now...after listening to his friend talk about DOA, for once, he listened. And learned something from it.

He was learning something about Ayane, and Takehito was right, these girls (Ayane at least) had backgrounds that set them apart from the women in his world. It's not always you have a ninja girl crash into your apartment right? And believe it or not, he got curious. Ugh, he was starting to become like his friend, won't be long till he's making a collage of beautiful women on his cubicle. How ironic would that be...

He chuckled, "Yeah right."

-0000-

"I'm home." Jake called out.

Takehito greeted, "Welcome back, Jake. I'd ask if you wanted bath, breakfast or me but unfortunately I don't swing that way. I'll let Sakura do that."

"Morning, Jake." _Sakura_ greeted. "How was your run?" She was wearing a tight powder purple t-shirt and jean shorts that outlined her curves and showed a lot of leg, her hair was set the same when she adopted the Sakura identity.

"It was good," he answered sounding a bit exhausted.

"Really?" questioned Takehito.

"Yeah, you should try it sometime, Take."

Takehito responded sarcastically, "Haha, I would but I'm not Ironman, Jake."

"You don't need to be, just get some shoes and run."

"I'll put it on the note." He's not gonna put it on the note. Was it a science experiment gone wrong or something? No matter how much he ate, he doesn't gain weight. At all.

Another unsolved mystery to the universe.

 _There are mysteries to the universe we were never meant to solve..._ Thank's Optimus.

"Anyways...I made breakfast, Jake. Yay. Get cleaned up while Sakura and I prep the table."

Jake stopped, stooped, he stares straight at Takehito and he stares back. Jake wore a look like a man that saw a second head grew out of his friends head. Shocked. Disbelief. Who knows.

"Wow...Takehito, you're actually helping out with something..." he gasp.

"Oh, fuck you, Jake!" he shouted at the man who split into the bathroom cackling as he did leaving the ranting stick figure behind cursing him.

Sakura just stared at them both, the spot where Jake formerly stood, and Takehito flipping pancakes in the kitchen. "What just happened?"

-0000-

Breakfast was pleasant at most.

Take and Jake trading stories and jokes, Ayane now Sakura laughed, a thing she's been doing a lot lately, a fact that both she and Jake noticed.

After that as Take escaped dish duty to go laze about in the living room, Jake and Ayane were in the kitchen silently muttering to each other as they did dishes - Takehito was persistent that they did it together, he added a wink as he did so. "You seem cheery today." said Jake.

Ayane nods, "Yeah."

"Merry Christmas."

"You too."

Man...this was awkward. Now that's he's known something about her; it was like he doesn't know her at all. How do you talk to someone who you know yet know nothing about and yet know something about them?

 _'...Ayane grew up an outcast...'_

 _'They treated her poorly and made her into a pariah...'_

He was so lost in his thoughts, so lost listening to the voices in his head, repeating the same damn thing over and over: outcast, pariah, outcast, pariah...and on, and on, and on.

"You're okay?" She snaps her fingers in front of him, breaking him out of his stupor. "Hey, you okay, numb nuts!" she calls out.

It works.

"H-huh...whu-!" he muttered incoherently. "Oh, Ayane, what is it?"

"I asked if you're okay," she answered. "You were spacing out a bit. And you've been cleaning that same plate for the last few minutes." _Minutes! Really!?_ Was he out of it that long?!

"At this rate, you're gonna be the first man to kill 100.00 percent of germs that washing detergent only managed to kill 99.9 percent." she joked.

He laughs, more like chuff as he handed her the plate to be wiped and put on the rack.

"Don't move."

"Hmm-!" He was backed against the counter. Ayane leaned up, thankfully her bangs were parted so she didn't have to hold them up to feel his temperature.

His forehead touched hers, he could feel her breath against his skin, the scent of berries - wait, when did he have berry scented shampoo? - filled his nose, so overpowering, so very her type of scent. He's never noticed it but her eyes were a deep shade of red unlike any other.

Her skin was so smooth, so flawless, he could touch her but she seemed so delicate. Like he might bruise her if he so much as brush his thumb across her forearm.

And those lips. Those rosy, small lips, parting and closing by a micro-millimeter (if there were such a thing). He could kiss them. He wanted to kiss them. Wait, what's these thoughts he's having?

"You don't seem to have a fever." Ayane pulls away.

"Oh, okay." He says, he was breathing heavy for some reason. And his heart...boy was it racing in his chest. Somehow the lost of the warmth from their proximity had left a void in him, which was weird because... When did he start feeling this way?

He could've pursued the thought further but a couch walrus had decided to bellow its call then. "Hey, guys," Takehito called. "The movie's starting!"

"Coming!" Ayane answered in her Sakura voice then turning back to Jake as Ayane.

"Hey," she says. "Don't get sick on me now."

Why was she so concerned about him today? When did she start looking out for his well being?

"Cause if you do who's gonna take care of me."

Nevermind. . . And Movie? What movie?

* * *

 _ **A/N: Whew...It's the 31st but I posted a Christmas-esque chapter. Oops! Here's a New Years gift for all you readers. May 2017 bring us all good fortune, more games and movies, and can I get a standalone Ayane game already Team Ninja?! She's obviously the best girl. And Nyotengu. And Kokoro. And Momiji.**_

 _ **Anyways, enjoy dear readers. Next chapter coming... I hope soon.**_


	4. Chapter 4

Kasumi thought to herself that this was the right thing to do.

She knew she was putting herself at great risk; by now the clan would've already found the bodies of those slain ninja at the hands of Ayane had she not returned to dispose of them.

She couldn't let her sister suffer the same fate she did, banished and hunted. "I must clear her name . . ." she said with great resolute. The train begins its departure, she kept her head down, the cap hiding her face whilst her hair was tied and held up in a messy bun.

Kasumi squeezed in between two grown men - it was so packed there was no breathing room for her - she reached the spot closest to the door where she angled and pressed herself up against the wall. Whilst keeping an eye out for potential train molesters who would be more than eager to cop a feel out of her wonderful _assets_ she slides one hand into her jacket.

Her dainty fingers wrapped around the hilt of kunai but with no intention of using it - just an insurance policy.

Being on the run has taught her a few things - just because you feel safer sleeping with a knife under your pillow, doesn't give you a warrant to use it.

They entered a tunnel and the interior of the metal tube darkened.

For 3 whole minutes she was in darkness but her senses picked up every little sound and smell in the train before reemerging out into the light that showered the interior in bright light once again.

Some kids were crying, their mothers trying to quiet them down, so unexpectedly taken they were by the darkness it . . . scared them.

"Mm-hm." she lets out a soft giggle, recalling a similar situation too when she was a little girl.

It was just a little kid's game - a harmless game of a test of courage or _Kimodameshi_ ; her friends had invited her to join. Her pedigree as the clan's head daughter - even if she did had a slight fear of the dark - compelled her to uphold and maintain the image and dignity of her family.

She agrees.

Only if . . . .

"Hey, what's that _cursed_ child doing here?!" the lead child spat as he eyes the purple haired little girl with spite.

"Yeah," another one interjected, a chubby boy in a green _yukata_ and sporting a shaved head. "She'll bring bad luck to us."

"That's right, that's right!"

Ayane took the insults in strides; after all, she gets them everyday, 24/7 and will most likely for the rest of her life. "Get her out of here!"

"That's mean! You don't know that!" Kasumi defended. "Ayane-chan is anything but cursed! She's a good friend!" She tried and tried but somethings so deeply ingrained that presenting an argument contrary to theirs upsets this belief and frightens them and they fight and argue to defend their point.

"But she's _that_ monster's child!"

"But...but -" Her voice choked, there was no denying that fact.

"Kasumi, it's fine..." said Ayane suddenly, placing a hand on the quivering girl's shoulder. She comes forward, hands on her waist in an arrogant like fashion and she spoke. "Yeah, you're right, I am Raidou's daughter . . . ." her tone darkens and her bangs cast a shadow over eyes, giving the red irises an evil glint. "But don't go comparing me to _that_ monster. I am anything but _like_ Raidou..." she adds as an emphasis on her point.

The kids gulped, the two boys shaking, they've never seen Ayane this way. How could they? They spend most of the time hurling insults at her and avoiding her.

"W-wha...whatever!" he suddenly cries then turns. "Come on, let's start already so we can go home!" he growls with his arms crossed.

The game started. Two more kids showed up, girls but they were more friendly and welcoming towards Ayane - A friend of Kasumi is a friend of theirs.

First to start up was the girls group; Kasumi and Ayane would go first then the two girls - Kirie and Mayumi. Ayane had a hidden suspicion that they were planning something but . . . . "Let's find out." she murmured.

Off they went, their goal was to reach a small abandoned shrine in the woods, taken an object that has been placed their beforehand and then comeback.

Kasumi clung to Ayane the whole time, shaking and whimpering, staring off - left and right and over her shoulder - whilst Ayane was as cool as a cucumber as they walked slowly because of the dark. The forest canopy blocked out the stars and moon.

"..." Was her only response to the girls clingy clutches as they covered half of the path.

"A-Ayane..-chan... *SQUAWK* EEEK!" Kasumi threw herself onto Ayane causing the other girl to stumble.

She turns to growl at the girl, "Hey! Watch whatcha doing!" she told Kasumi. The older girl was whimpering like a little puppy, on the verge of tears, crouched on the ground, her voice hitching and she holds herself in a protective embrace.

 _If she's the next Clan leader, we are all in trouble . . . ._

She just sighs exasperatedly at the shaky girl and continues on, "I'm going then," announced the girl walking ahead of the other girl. "Better catch up or the _oni_ might catch you~" she teased.

"Ayane-chan~ mou!" Kasumi cried, quickly catching up to the purple haired girl. "Meanie..."

. . . .

It was an old Inari Shrine. In front were the items placed beforehand by the kids.

There were 3 of them - a red ball, a top, and a _kendama_ \- Kasumi's item was the red ball, her favorite, a gift from her mother, Ayame.

"Got it," she says, bouncing it in her hand. "Shall we..." Ayane only wondered how long this brave face would last on their way back. Probably not long, getting here wasn't the problem. If the boys were going to pull off their scheme, it would be when their on their way back.

Ayane doesn't say a word to which Kasumi pouts, "Muu, Ayane-chan you meanie." They started back, at least now Kasumi wasn't latching onto her like a leech, instead she was happily humming to herself while playing with the little red ball in her hand.

They had yet to pass the halfway point when the other girl shrieked, "Eeek, something just licked me!" Kasumi bumped into Ayane.

"A-Ayane..-chan can we go faster...?" she tried to appear unafraid as she pleaded with the other girl who didn't pay her any mind.

"N-ne..Ayane - Kyaahaaha!" another wet slap, this time on her back causing her arms to fly outward, the red ball she picked up earlier, bounces out of her arms and into one of the bushes. "A-ah! My ball . . ." she cried and ran after it.

"Leave it." said Ayane in an even tone.

"B-but..." It was a gift from her mother, she can't just up and leave it. What if some animal had come and found it and taken it away into some burrow in the woods? How was she gonna explain that to her mother?!

And also they lose the game if they don't bring back the item they were supposed to. "Gurgh!" Ayane groaned. "Fine, I'll help you find it."

They dug around the bushes, never an arms length away as Kasumi would grow restless and panic if the other girl was too far away. It was awhile before they found the ball again but this time to make sure she didn't lose it, Ayane took off the bandanna on her head and tied it around Kasumi's hand and the ball.

"That way you don't lose it again..." said the girl without looking at Kasumi. "There!" she secured the knot nicely around the girl's wrist.

"Ayane-chan, you're very kind actually..."

Her face heated up, instantly. "D-don't misunderstand, Baka! It's only so you don't lose it and we might have to stay out here to find it." she said without catching a breath.

Her denial made her look so cute, Kasumi can't help but smile and continued on with her teasing. "Ayane-chan _kawaii~_ "

" _Urusai! Urusai! Urusai!_ "

...

Those days are gone now, she's a fugitive and her sister hates her guts.

Too busy she was having negative thoughts, she failed to notice a figure sneaking up behind her until -

Her voice yelps, but she can't spin in the train, not with this tight crowd that limited her face to a finger length perhaps. "Calm down," said the voice. It was female, and a familiar one at that.

"Momiji?" she asked. "Hayabusa-sensei sent me..."

-0000-

As the day slowly moved on, the clock strikes 12 and he shot out of the couch faster than Usain Bolt at the starting point.

He just needed to get away from her somehow - just a while. The whole time he sat next to her, watched her as she competed with his friend Takehito on Mortal Kombat and "DOATec proudly presents: Dead or Alive: The Game" again more Ayane remarks here from Takehito that had him holding his breath.

Any thought of watching a movie became moot when thirty minutes into it they were bored out of their minds; Takehito only because he felt the movie cut too many corners to get to the point where two heroes fight. They didn't even develop the villain which was terrible as there were multitudes of opportunities they could've shown his manipulative side that would pit both Vigilante and Symbol of Hope against each other. And Ayane . . . uh, she was just wondering when are they gonna fight as they had a 30 second scene where the vigilante was training with all sorts of weights and ending it with epic shots of him dropping said weights, while his machines crafted a weapon that could take down the symbol of hope.

"What's up with him?" If only he knew what's up with him, he wouldn't even ask. Especially when he was partly responsible for the turmoil he is going through now. Ayane (now Sakura) only pursed her lips and shrugged. She didn't know.

Jake entered the kitchen and relieved a heavy sigh, "Oh my place of zen and peace..." the young man sighed.

He bent and gripped the sink as he suddenly felt weak in the legs.

He turns on the sink and puts his head directly underneath the faucet, it helped him cool his head off - no pun intended - a bit as he let out another sigh, one of relief.

Taking his head out of the sink, he shakes his head much like a dog only with half the vigor then pulling a small towel from one of the drawers where he keeps the cloths use to wipe the dishes in and dries himself off.

Jake reclines against the refrigerator, taking in small gulps of air as he recounts the day's event. Nothing much happened, which pretty much summed up what's happened.

Except for learning about his 'guest' background through 'unsavory' means.

"I'm a creep..." said the man dejectedly.

"Finally admitting to your own depravity..." said the light voice of Ayane who seemingly projected herself in the kitchen.

But for Jake her sudden appearance shouldn't surprise him much; she did disappear after all from her place next to him when Takehito was grilling him with questions. And the fact that they did _bump_ heads the first time they met. If she's capable of such things (even when wounded) there's nothing to be surprised about from this girl.

"I thought you were still playing?"

She crosses her arms, she does it not because she likes it but because it makes her feel more powerful. "Someone's coming, fast and very...very hostile." He would've scoffed but the tone she was using, the extra edge thrown in there had him shuddering and gulping.

"A...ninja?" he was somewhat reluctant to say.

"No, footfalls are too heavy, this person is either very big or just pissed off or big and pissed off at the same time - they're on the 5th floor by the way. And very fast."

So an angry big speedster was currently making their way up the apartment block without using the elevator and assuming he was right was headed either for him or someone on the same floor as him; and why did Fumiko-obaasan let them through. Nothing slips past that old woman - Nothing!

"So...it could be for anyone." As soon as he said that, he wished he'd just held his tongue then as then after he had said what he said, there were three loud bangs on the door. Three loud, unpracticed bangs that shook the foundation of the wooden door itself.

Ayane just stared between the door and Jake; Takehito, his friend was... _Where'd he go?!_

"I'm not here, Jake!" said the man from...somewhere in his apartment. Is it him or did people around him just know when to disappear. But it didn't take him long to find his friend thanks to a pair of blue socked feet sticking out from underneath the curtains.

...

"See ya, Jake and Sakura-chan too~ It was nice meeting ya." Said Takehito before he is shoved out the front door by his girlfriend, Yuri. "Come on, you've caused him enough trouble . . ." she scolded the man. She cranes her neck to look in Jake's direction. "Sorry about him, Jake."

It was a very weird affair to say the least, he greeted her and invited her in, it didn't take long for the bluenette to find her then boyfriend behind the curtains. They argued like any couple would except...

"Like I said, Yuri! It's AyanexEliot and not the other way around; Ayane will always be the one pinning Eliot down."

Confused was an understatement at that point as he and the 'real' Ayane stood off to the side watching those two DOA fans just go at each other's throat; so Yuri-san did do normal pairings aside fro Yaoi doujins. That was something he didn't expect.

"No! No! No! Ayane-bottom, Eliot-top! that's how it goes."

"Eliot?" muttered the young man who was very much confused by the turn of events. "A friend from the tournament..."Answered Ayane in a hush voice out the corner of her lips. Ah, so that's what it was, he nodded. Them working things out was great and all but it was getting cold, and because the door was open, and because they were arguing by the entrance with the door ajar.

"Eliot's a wimp!"

 _Well that much is true,_ thought Ayane thinking back to her first encounter with the English lad in China a few years back sometime around the Third Dead or Alive Tournament. The young man wouldn't stop putting himself down or selling himself short, it took a slap and a tongue lashing to straighten him up.

Now that she thought about it, she did owe him a sparing match.

"He acts like that but . . ." Yuri trailed off, she couldn't come up with anything else to say.

Takehito wore a smug grin on his face, "He he~ Can't think of anything can you. You're wrong and I'm right - GAAAAH! My hand, my hand, I need it to type my Fanfics please stop!" Both Ayane and Jake winced, moreso for Jake. The girl had him in an arm lock that looked extremely painful even for Ayane and she's had her fair share of submission holds.

Then she looks up at Jake and smiles, it may seemed serene and warm to anyone but to him, he felt nothing but cold coming from that smile as she singsong, "We're going now, Jake." He had to do something before his friend suffered for something he deserved but not enough to warrant a broken arm.

"N-now, let's calm down now, shall we. Y-Yuri, mind letting your boyfriend go, he's starting to turn a little red from the pain." She lets go and Takehito crumples to the ground clutching his right arm. "Thank you," said Jake before moving aside to let the psych - good friend of his in.

"Oh my god! You look like Ayane-sama! It's so cool! Jake who is she?!" The girl was bouncing about going on about his purple haired guest.

Ayane then seemed very uncomfortable, mostly because due to the fact that she never really dealt with fans (wasn't aware she had any) before. "K-Kirishima Sakura, I'm a friend of Jake's."

Yuri's big golden eyes darted to Jake, "Really! You never mentioned something like this before and we're highschool buddies! Whenyoumeether! Whenyoumeether!"

"She's an old friend; one day she just 'crashed' in out of the blue."

"Eh..." exclaimed the girl. "But I gotta say, she is very hot, and her boobs, her hair - my god, she'd definitely be a grea - no, amazing Ayane cosplayer, they both look the same." She had no idea just how close to the mark she was.

They settled in the living room, Jake cleaned up here and there to make it as welcoming as possible, and he needed the time to think; Sakamoto Yuri is sharp, she see's things nobody can. Most of the time, her _hunches_ were 99.9 percent spot on.

"I'll get us some drinks," offered Ayane who seemed like she just wanted to get away from Yuri at the moment - more than anything - just to escape the carpet bombing of questions coming from the B-52 that was Sakamoto Yuri's mouth.

But Yuri pulled the girl down as she was getting up, "No, no, you sit; Jake will get the drink. Won't you, Jake?"

"What do I look like, a butler!" snapped Jake to which Yuri only smiled and nodded and mouthed, "He's gonna say yes."

"Oh, fine, I'll do it. I'll be ya butler..." he groaned loud enough for them to hear and for Yuri to bring a hand to her mouth to hide her laugh.

For a moment the questions stopped, "You're doing great holding the place together, Jake." said the girl to Jake who was in the kitchen preparing their beverages.

"Thanks," said Jake coming into the living room with a tray of assorted beverages, he was grateful for the compliment about his place.

They talked, they got to know each other; Ayane learned that Jake, Takehito and Yuri were all High School buddies at one point until they went their separate ways after High School. Yuri and Takehito - college and Jake - the Military.

They talked up till the point that Yuri jumped out of her seat and shrieked, "YAAAH! I ALMOST FORGOT!" COMIKET was tomorrow and she had to quickly get to where the convention was being held, where's it is always been held - The Tokyo Big Sight - to find a place to set her booth then to set her booth.

Normally it's on the 24th, Christmas Eve, but due to certain delays, it was pushed back to the 26th. The problem was the trains are surely to be busy right now to take to the next station and taxi cabs are expensive not to mention the jam that is in the city right now, ah, she's so dead if she can't set up her booth today. But one way or another, she was going to make it!

"Sorry, Jake I gotta go, it was nice seeing you. You too, Sakura-chan." said the girl as she rushed to get on her muffler and jacket and beanie. "Come by tomorrow, maybe you and I can go cosplaying as our favorite Dead or Alive characters."

Ayane nodded, "I-I'll think about it, hi hi~"

Passing the threshold, Yuri turns to engulf Jake in a tight hug, "It was nice seeing you again, Jake." She releases him. "Sorry for the trouble Take-kun caused you."

But Jake only waves it off, "Nah, don't worry about it." He smirks, "Take care of him."

Yuri only returns the statement with a smirk of her own, "You know I will. He can't survive without me." Takehito chose then to interject himself into the conversation. "I'm right here!" He bellowed.

Jake and Yuri simultaneously reply, "I KNOW!"

Takehito winced and relegated to retreating back into the wall, now if only he could sink himself in it, but alas life wasn't always so . . . _providing_ of alternatives - Both Jake and Yuri went back to talking. And before she left dragging her boyfriend with her, Yuri stops halfway down the hallway to turn and say, "Nice girlfriend you got there, Jake. She's a keeper!" She gives him the thumbs up. "Good job!" she winks, giving her sign of approval. Much to his embarrassment, he replies, "SHE'S NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!"

But that just seemed to only reinforce the girl's _Matchmaking_ hunches that they were meant to be a couple and her smirk only grew wider and that little twinkle in her eyes to expland. In the end there was no fighting this girl - once she sets her mind on something, she's going to stick with it all the way.

Jake watches as the girl slowly disappeared into the elevator and the floor lights showing the elevators descent. He turns to go inside.

Ayane lets her hair down, she was shaking them loose before re-tying the bandanna around her forehead and securing the knot at the left side of her crown. "What?" she asked, noticing the young man was staring at her.

"Nothing, just uh...nothing."

Strange, she noted his behavior before going back inside.

Just as he was about to do the same his phone vibrates. _A text...?_

 _Sender ID: Yuri_

 _My next project will be an original - JakexAyane, r-18. BTW, Sakura-chan looks a lot like Ayane don't you think. Take-chan thinks so too._

 _Peace._

 _Stay cool_

He responded to the text.

 _QUIT MESSING AROUND! and NO SHE DOESN'T - Also that's not even original, it's still a fan work, only thing original is you using my likeness in the book!_

His heart was beating a mile a minute. _They NOTICED!_ Now it won't take long for them to put the two and two together and... Before he could finish that string of thought, another text came.

 _Sender ID: Yuri_

 _New Message: By the way, how 'long' are you? If you know what I mean._

 _Reply: FUCK OFF!_

Too preoccupied he was with his rant and staying calm failed to notice another presence creeping up until it made itself known.

" _Daijobou ka, Jake?_ "

He looks up, "Ana-chan...?" It was Goto-san, his neighbors daughter. The tall brunette by 2 inches smiled at him. "Hi," she greeted in that oh so sweet voice of hers. "Are you okay? You look a little pale." she stated.

A little would've been a stretch, especially when he just barely got through a friendly sit-down without having the identity of his house guest discovered, if anything he was more of a cancer patient (no disrespect) at the moment - white as a sheet.

"Me?" said the young man gesturing to himself. "No...I'm fantastic . . ." came a very half-heart reply from his lips. The young brunette only tilts her head off a little to the side in an unconvinced manner, "Hmm?" She hummed. "If you say so...but-"

"I know..." he interrupts what she was trying to say. " _Please tell me so I can help you,_ right."

She smiles, beaming at him almost. "Yup!" she nods enthusiastically. He then notices a couple of things about her as well. She was carrying two large milk white sacks with red labeling on them. Her eyes follow his line of sight to the bags in each hand. "Oh these . . . . these are just some groceries I bought." Jake nods, sound explanation. "Yeah, I'm going down to Fumiko- _obaasan_ to help with the cooking." Ah, yes, the Christmas Cookout the Old Bird threw every Christmas.

"Right? The Christmas Cookout, I almost forgot about that." He lied. "Mou~ Jake-kun." The young man grinned sheepishly.

Then, "Okay, tell me, how is it really going?" she persisted. No one goes pale as a sheet just from feeling fantastic, last she checked. Also, she cared about him since she first heard his cry echo through the halls. His phone rings interrupting him as he was about to speak, a notable slack in his shoulders like he was relieved for that one small interference as he digs his pocket for the device.

He pulls it out and remarks, "Oh. It's Takehito." Said the young man to the young woman. Jake mulled over the thought of answering the call, his thumb rested on the green button and all he needed to do was just slide to answer but...

He ignored it.

"...I..." He starts. Ana holds her breath unknowingly. "...doing great. Disappointed but great." The answer wasn't what she was expecting, studying to be a psychologist, Ana had thought herself to pick up subtle changes in things such as how a person talked, to body language and facial expression and strain put into words. The answer came as if he were contemplating on what words to use but what to tell her.

"Oh, I see, then...that's good, _I guess..._ " She said smiling a little. She knew better when not to push a subject to hard, it causes people to enter a defensive mode, they build a wall around them to protect them when they feel like a person is being to persistent or intruding.

His phone rings again, he lets out an annoyed groan from his lips before excusing himself to go answer it leaving Ana in her thoughts, staring off over the balcony, towards only something she could see. "I'm sorry about that, it's just Takehito and you know how . . . Ana? Hey, you hear me, Ana-san?" she is pulled out of her thoughts. Blinking her big brown eyes once then twice and then thrice, making a small "eh?" confused sound.

"Nothing, I was just about to tell you, aren't you gonna be late for Fumiko- _obaasan_?"

She realizes this and says, "O-oh, right, Fumiko- _obaachan_... I better get going then." Jake flicks her forehead playfully, she makes a small, "ow..." sound but can't rub the spot because her hands were tied with groceries.

"Well then, I better get going, Merry Christmas, Jake." She leaves, he watches her small back slowly move further and further until she's at the elevator. He turns to go in, Ayane was standing there with her back leaned against the wall, her arms are crossed underneath her chest. "Eavesdropping now, are we?"

"Who's that? She seems kinda cute, definitely your type, has to be right. You're into that kinda thing, sweet, soft-spoken, innocent looking..." He ignores the question, shutting the door just a tad loud enough to make it clear he was not gonna answer her.

Ayane only shrugs knowingly, "alright, fine..." she said in a small voice.

-0000-

Akatsubaki Station

"Kasumi-san, you must turn back now."

"Eh...?" Confuse was an understatement, her face was a picture perfect reference of 'what' plaguing her mind.

The tall, raven haired shrine maiden/ninja standing before her, in casual wear, fitting blue jeans, with knee high boots with fur cuffs, a white winter jacket with a fur collar and a plain red t-shirt worn underneath it, Momiji looked like someone cut out a of the latest fashion magazine or those candid photos seen on storefronts.

Her long hair was let loose and she wore perfume, which the kunoichi was unknown for as she always had this natural scent of sweet camellia permeating from her. Her smile was as gentle as always but her eyes were alert if one looked closer, she says in a tone that was gentle and finality, "Kasumi-san, you must turn back..." turn back? why!?

They met on the train, she hadn't picked up her presence as her mind had wondered, a fatal mistake on her part as that would've given some ample opportunity to inject a slow acting toxin that would've reached her heart by the time she arrived at the next station. An autopsy would then reveal a rare strain of tuberculosis - that she succumbed in a matter of moments.

Here they were in beautiful Nagoya, both women were in a park that wasn't too far from the station. Still within the area, yet, Momiji's posture was one of casual and alert and odd mix but taking into account of their training - a ninja must remain vigilant at all times but able to blend in as well. When they exited the train, then the station, Momiji made sure to flip the fire alarm. Chaos and panic descended faster than any forces of evil she's fought in her years; people were evacuated, potential pursuers were thrown into a loop of confusion that they lost the target. The water also washed away the scent of the girls should familiars be employed, things from rats to small dogs.

"Kasumi, the village hasn't been safe as of lately, rival clans - since Ayane hasn't returned in 2 days; 2 days is a lot for a clan to move in and with the shortage of ninja to protect the villagers other unsavory party's have turned their sights to a feebly defended village. Mercenaries, bounty hunters, I have no doubts that the DOAtec and MIST is behind this, Victor Donovan's legacy and plan lives on - they would not stop until every single one of us is capture and experimented for him to create the ultimate weapon."

"Master Ryu has gone North to negotiate with some of our allies, Lord Hayate is seeing to the training of new shinobi; but it is not enough - we've been attacked twice in the same month both suffering heavy casualties. If you must know, Matsu, your friend was one of them."

Memories of the time she spent with the boy and his chubby sidekick flooded her mind, they both became shinobi at the same time, trained under her father. N-no, it can't be... Matsu he... Matsu is...

"Dead?" her voice full of lost and disbelief; how can this be.

Momiji nodded, but kept a strong front but deep down inside she was hurting as she had bear witness to the demise of the young man and there was nothing she could've done to prevent it. She could but it would've resulted in her suffering the same fate as the young man.

"I have been ordered to track you and tell you to stay away; right now with things as it is, the village elders have called for a temporary hold on your execution and all hunter nin have been called back to the village, right now, all efforts are put in protecting you as it is you that they want. My job here is done, I must return to initiate the second phase of our plan, the moving of all sacred artifacts and arms, and the destruction of scrolls that contain the secret of the Mugen Tenshin."

"Also, on a further note, Ayane-chan has been ordered to safe guard you until the situation can be rectified. But I have no doubt this is the order of Lady Ayame who want to see you two safe and out of the reaches of DOAtec and MIST. A runner, he came with me, has been dispatched to seek her and deliver the message; Kasumi, do you know where Ayane is?"

-0000-

"So, where'd you get the tree?"

"Down in storage, the Old Bird really had this place well thought out; all tenants get their own storage compartment down in North Tower, C-block." Grunted Jake as he hefted the tree into his humble apartment.

Ayane glides off to the side when the young man was headed in her direction or the area behind her that intersected with her current location. "Mind helping out, I got a box of decorations in the elevator I sent up in."

A playful smirk danced across her lips, a devious thought popped into her mind. "Ooh, gee, I would _like_ to help but my wounds and all; No strenuous activity - Doctor's orders." She made sure to stick her tongue out when he's not looking.

"You didn't see any Doctor, your sister and I treated you!" snapped Jake who rested the tree down on it's 'legs'. Ayane then added, "Well, unless you feel like stitching me up again, by the way, I don't wear a bra because of you know so if you're fine with seeing boobs then..."

"Okay! Okay! Good point - God!" Success, she practically jumped up in joy on the inside as the boy pushed past her. "Rude," she remarked but let out a small laugh and with a skip in her step skipped into the living room as Jake came in bearing the box of decorations in hand.

"Well, at least help me get this damn tree up!" he growled.

"That I can do~" she chirped and moved over to the open box of decorations and pulled out the first thing that caught her eye, the star.

-0000-

"Are you afraid?"

The man shook his head no.

"AAARRGGG HHHMMMM HHHHMMMM!" The shinobi shouted in pain as pressure was applied by the foot that was planted on his knee with a piece of ReBar (reinforcing bar) jammed into the side of his left knee. The figure that taunted him if he was in pain was surrounded by two others just like it.

They got him. Jumped him as he was traversing over the rooftops of Japan like some vigilante, never expecting the strike that would take him down was from a broken piece of steel. The ninja that currently towered over him like a shadow removed its foot from his leg. He gripped his knee gingerly.

The figures clad in black, shinobi gear, though unlike the traditional gear seemed more modernized that what the nin on the ground grunting in pain was wearing, in his hand was holding the message - pulled from him - of Lady Ayame addressing to her estranged daughter, Ayane.

 _My Dearest Ayane,_

 _There are many things in life I regret, you are not one of them, but not being able to raise you as a daughter was one of them. I'm sorry for not being there when you needed a parental figure, to shower you with love just as I did your sister, I would've done it if it weren't for the circumstance. It was either to disown or dispose you; I chose the former as it seemed to be the lesser of two evils. I'm sorry for failing you as a mother; all I ever wanted was for you to be happy and seeing you and Kasumi growing up together had brought not just joy but hope that one day I too may be able to finally welcome you into our home. But I fear that time has come and gone now, dearest daughter._

 _This letter I write may be the last one I ever write to you as it will also be the first. I know I have no right asking you of this but take care of your sister for me, unlike you who has seen the cruelty and experience the cold of this world, she only knew love and the warmth it provided; you are two pieces of the same coin, watch out for each other. Know that I am and always will be with the both of you. In your heart._

 _Love,_

 _Mother_

"How touching." The figure said darkly, the nin could see the outlines of a smile forming behind the mask. "A mother's final act to protect and reunite her daughters. How... _foolish._ "

"Kuuu, Nggg! Hsss! Hsss!" The figure pressed down on the bad leg, he felt his bone grinding against the rusted piece of metal. "Tell me. Where is Ayane. Where is Kasumi. Where is hiding." said the Figure in an authoritative tone. This was an offer. His life for theirs - the two girls.

The wounded ninja bit down, "Never." he growled in defiance. Instead, he did what the kids in the city did to someone they didn't like. He flipped them the bird. The cold lifeless eyes of the ninja interrogating him blinked, "oh" he said. "How...unfortunate." he drawled. The 'Rogue' removes his foot from the broken knee. He removed his sword from sheath and in quick strike removed the head off the young nin.

"Never is here." growled the nin. The message was crumpled and thrown next to the body of the now dead nin. "Dispose of the body. No traces." He ordered. He then held up a finger to signal for them to halt, "Show this young one the proper respect befitting a loyal shinobi; pray for him, then dispose of him." He added.

The two other rogues glanced at each other, their eyes questioning but quickly shrugged and set to do what they were told to do. They removed the piece of ReBar carefully not to damage the already damaged knee, then they lay him, with his hands folded over each other resting on his chest, his head was placed on the stump of his still bleeding neck, his pale eyes having lost all color behind them when the light was snuffed out in an instant, a quick sword stroke, the eyelids were pulled down.

His weapons and emblem - the symbol that recognized him as a loyal follower of the Mugen Tenshin, those will be wrapped in a silk cloth and delivered to them (well, if their still around that is).

And lastly, the prayer, all three of them including the executioner knelt down and prayed for this one's soul to find peace.

And when that was concluded, there was one last thing to do, the disposing of the body; there was a skill - all ninja know of it - called the scorched earth technique; this technique or ninpo was used by Ninja out in the field - should they be not able to deliver the body of a fallen back - to _'vaporize'_ a body. The responsibility of casting the 'spell' fell on the one that took the life of the deceased. So the lead Rogue stepped up, cruelty and compassion, he delivered the spell, chanting it while his hands made the right 'mudra' or hand signal then when it was done, placed his palm over the folded hands of the dead nin.

The Rogue followers shielded their eyes, the intensity and brightness of the spell was akin to watching a welder burning steel, very bright. There was the smell of burning meat which permeated in the air followed by sizzling like meat on a frying pan. Then it was over.

"You." The Lead Rogue addressed one of his followers. "Take these clothes, and weapons and find a shinobi of the Mugen and give it to them. Tell them, he was loyal to the end."

The Rogue nodded, taking the 'effects' in hand, he turns, makes a short jog for the ledge of the roof then jumps off. The other rogue comes up to his leader and hisses, "What now, sir?"

The leader turns, "We keep looking."

 ** _Omake_**

"Oh, no!"

"My Lord Shiden!"

"W-what is it?"

"It's your daughter; she's well..."

The door to Kasumi's room slides open, into it Lord Shiden peeked to find -

"K-Kimodameshi! K-kowai!" Kasumi's lump visible underneath her covers and shaking. Crying comical tears and muttering about things like 'Yokai' and other things.

Meanwhile on the rooftop of the Clan Leader's estate, Ayane lay and listened in then mumbling to herself, "It wasn't that scary." The retainers of Lord Shiden and Shiden himself spent the whole night convincing Kasumi to come out of her turtle shell of a blanket.

* * *

 ** _A/N: Let me start off by saying, this chapter was a bitch to write, really; never struggle so hard, though this was probably one of the many problems I am soon to face in future endeavors especially with this story, well; we're still in the Christmas season as per this chapter still but we're getting out of there. So, big trouble in little China folks as some may read in this chapter, it will be expanded in the future chapters._**

 ** _I have to give a shout out to these guys._**

 ** _First on the list:_**

 ** _Dragoon Swordsman: First off, I'd like to respond to your recent review; yes, Jake's life is bound to get more awkward and with current events progressing as they are, a heck of a lot more dangerous. I thank you for your support._**

 ** _Eternalking: I say Thank you for your kind words._**

 ** _It is because of those two and many more that follow and favorite this story that keeps me going, and I say that or rather type that from the bottom of my heart; it's good to know that my work is enjoyed by many._**

 ** _Okay, I admit, the Omake may not be funny, in my defense, it was funny in my head; just the thought of a Chibi Kasumi underneath the futon shaking and stuff, while her father and retainers are peeking in worry and bewilderment etched on their faces. Then seeing a Chibi Ayane on the roof directly above Kasumi's room. Oh, I'm making it worse._**


	5. Chapter 5

Ayane held the gold star carefully with both hands; the rest of the decorations are done being put up.

"Now for the finishing touch…." She smiles. The tree wasn't as tall – reached up to her shoulder height – no standing on her toes needed, she gave out a soft chuckle at her own joke and a proverbial pat on the head for thinking that one up.

"And we're done!" announced Jake.

Both man and woman nodded at their work. For Jake, this was his first time decorating a Christmas tree with a total stranger and literal house crasher.

For Ayane, it meant something significantly more. _They have a celebration for family. They call it Christmas. . ._ The way Genra would describe the things he saw would have her eyes shooting sparks out of them.

The wide eyed expressions behind the wooden mask, the dramatic hand gestures and use of exasperated tone; like an old man telling a child tales from the old ages – roaming Samurai terrorized crossroads, and ninja's jumped on rooftops and answering to the Emperor Supreme – The Great Shogun.

She latched onto each word like a child being told a fairy tale. In a way, it was….for her at least.

Ayane felt a soft nudge at her side, "hhmm…" she hummed turning her head to face him, a little box wrapped in blue gift paper capped with a red ribbon, and he stood there giving her a reassuring smile.

He chose say nothing then. Not to ruin the moment, he could tell by her expressions and body language (somewhat) that this was her first Christmas. She was like a very curious animal that stared at the box as if it were something unfamiliar and testing the waters to see if it posed any serious threat to them.

She was tense, he could see that. Probably throwing around the thought in her head, questions of 'should I' or 'should I not' but she never lost composure . . . at least on the outside.

He takes her hand, her heart jumps – no man has touched her and never lost a limb or a few twisted fingers – but she feels she can trust him. Don't know why, but she can. Jake turns her hand so that the palm facing up. Gently he places the box in her palm then uses the same hand to wrap her fingers around it.

"Merry 1st Christmas ….." that sounded stupid and ridiculous, he knew that. "Merry Christmas," he corrected himself after.

He bought it for Sachi originally, but now that's over, he didn't know what to do with it. Throwing it away would be waste, and wearing women's jewelry wasn't his thing – no offense to those who do. So, he did the wise thing…. He gave it to someone else.

"You can open it."

"I know what to do, Jake."

He just smiles, "sorry then," and she gently tears away at the gift wrap, tossing those onto the floor because she can and made him know that by sticking her tongue out at him. One layer of 50 cent wrap later it was onto the next which was free industrial box lid which she pulled off like….well, a lid.

It was a necklace, nothing too fancy but it's the thought that counts, right? I mean women liked an honest gift rather an extravagant one…..right?

If was after one of their dates, if by date meaning _he_ was being dragged around the upper class area of the city in his cheap but comfortable suit the yeah, it's a date.

It was pretty much on display along with the other more _pricier_ pieces, but this one got his attention more than the others; maybe it was because of the simplicity of its design, or maybe because it was the only one with a price tag that didn't have his eyes bulging out of their sockets. Who knows?

But it had beauty of its own, while animal shaped jewelry or in this instance, insect weren't popular among the one percent population, still this one looked like it could blend in anywhere otherwise they wouldn't have it on display on the store front.

Six jewels made up the wings and body capped with a smaller lighter purple jewel for the head and silver band to give it the shape of a butterfly.

"It… It's beautiful," She said almost breathlessly, _and expensive._

It hangs there for a while, dangling between her two middle fingers. Jake offers to put it on for her, "Would you like me to put it on for you?"

Ayane shakes her head no, "N-no need," she tried to sound haughty. But the pink that dusted her cheeks contradicted her statement. Her heart was beating a mile a minute; and why is her face so hot?!

What's this…..this joy that's hammering in her chest?!

"I got this…." Her voice grew smaller as she spoke; she turns, facing away from him. Jake turned his eyes back to the tree, thinking it was better she did this herself without any eyes on her.

He respected other people's personal space.

Facing away from him, she holds the necklace to her chest; she was happy – a smile already forming; unlike some, she never had the luxury of receiving gifts from others. Apart from her master, Genra; who bestowed upon her, her first _Kunai_ which she still keeps and uses to this day.

And . . . the headband; she had that since she was a kid – it was . . . all she knew from her master, Genra, was that she had it since birth. That it was found wrapped around her waist.

 _Extract from Jake's journal_

 _I just gave a total stranger a necklace – which I bought for my now ex-girlfriend – under the assumption that it was her first Christmas. Super._

 _At least my assumptions were spot on. Thank god._

"I… I – I'm done."

-0000-

 _4 years ago_

 _JSDF Camp El Toro_

Someone once thought it was funny to take the name of a decommissioned American military base and used it as their own; but the Marine Instructors invited to train them as part of a joint training exercise didn't seem to mind.

At least that's what they thought.

For that little practical joke, Drill Instructor Finch also known as _Satan's mentor_ made them pay for it tenfold with the sweat from their pores, the ache in their muscles and the grinding of their bones.

They called him –

" _Yes, Drill Instructor Pain!"_

– And quote " _Bring the_ _ **Pain!**_ _"_ Unquote, he did.

" _I wanna see some lips smacking! I wanna hear some moaning "Mmm, delicious!" come on now! Say it!"_

To quote a buddy from his unit quote" _D.I Pain_ _ **in the ass!**_ "Unquote – they called it _Pig sty alley_ where recruits are _invited_ as _D.I Pain_ (in the ass) so eloquently put together to "Taste the flavors of Mother Nature" literally; every Thursday they gathered around _the Alley_ and dropped into thick mud.

Same routine: 20 push up, 20 sit ups, followed by a low-crawl. _**IN THICK MUD!**_

The _alley_ stretched about 50 meters long and 8 meters wide; it did well in accommodating 20 able bodied and sound minded SDF _boy scouts_ like them to learn what it is to be a _Devil Dog_ – which is another name for Marine.

They weren't an invading force like their western counterparts; after World War 2, through hundreds upon thousands of political bullshit, and by the power of a single signature from some suit who's never even so much as seen a uniform, their army was reduced to a Defense role. Hence, the name Self Defense Force.

Funny how the many countries sought for the creation of weapons of mass destruction or WMD of their own, that they failed to realize they had one already.

And it's called a pen.

The taste of mud was well….. _muddy_. It was hard not to gag; you could but you're just asking for more by doing so. And by more, it means, face meet mud.

Week days were bad, but the days before the week end were worse – Basically, when it was first said that _D.I Pain_ (in the ass) would make them pay tenfold for the little joke from a thousand years ago . . . to summarize, if Monday to Wednesday was settling a debt, then Thursday to Friday, Major Pain (in the ass) bleeds them dry.

"So why'd you sign up, _Kashima_?" his buddy, Keita once asked him. "You look educated."

He gets that a lot around here " _You look educated_ " that phrase was thrown around so much; he might as well be a Harvard Lecturer. You look educated, you look educated and on and on it goes.

Can't blame them for thinking so in the first place; after all, he's just some scrawny kid that graduated from a rather prestigious High School. (And threw away what could've been a bright future to come down here.)

Boy, did he fell from grace. And fell hard.

They all stopped what they were doing; a good 3 minutes went by without a word said. They were all curious.

Who is Jake Kashima and why is he here?

"….Shhh haa…."

'… _Hm? Deep breathes..?'_ Keita looked puzzled.

And just when it looked like _Kashima_ was about to give an answer….

'… _.Shhh haa….'_

' _There he goes again!'_

Jake thought about all things that led to this moment.

 _Take his money….! All of it!_

 _Ew! Nuh-uh!_

 _There he goes again…. All alone!_

"I joined up….to gain confidence." Said the self proclaimed scrawny little Kid from a prestigious High School. He expected them to start laughing. Any moment now, he waited. Keeping his eyes close and standing straight, ready to receive the incoming torrent of laughs that would hammer the last nail into his own self confidence.

But… none came.

Not one a single chuckle. Hell, not even a smile. They were all just looking at him; some nodding, and in the military, doesn't matter what country you're from. A nod is a sign of acknowledgement.

They had acknowledged him as one of _them_ – one with the brotherhood. Keita's lip was curled in a smirk, he gave a small salute. Respect – he's earned it.

"Attention on deck!"

They all dropped what they were doing at the booming voice of their Platoon leader, Shoichi and stood at attention. It was Drill Instructor Finch also known as _D.I Pain (in the ass)._

And he's come to tear them a new one **.**

"So I was walking by hoping to check on my boys when I hear…." They all froze; no one blinking, or even breathing. _D.I Pain_ (in the ass) stops in front of Jake. Immediately everyone paled. He must've heard _it_ – Jake's reason for joining.

Well it was nice knowing you, kid ~ they were already waving the goodbye flag and playing _Taps_ in their heads.

"…Confidence, huh?" said _D.I Pain_ (in the ass).

"Yes, Drill Instructor Finch!" replied Private _Kashima_.

There was a long, foreboding silence as, one after another, they all waited for the mouth lashing that is to come.

But it never did.

But still no one moved, even if they had the urge to just talk to their friends via _eye contact_. _Pain_ stared down _Kashima_ , the equivalent of a hawk staring down a rabbit, before tearing into its flesh.

Instead, Finch offered the adolescent male a hand on the shoulder. Their jaws would've dropped but that would just trigger violent repercussions for everyone, so they squeezed their jaws tight.

The scene was…surreal. A hardass like Finch having a tender moment with one of his recruits; brings a tear to a glass eye.

"Son, any young man that willingly volunteered to serve his country is plenty confident in my books," said Finch.

But remembering where _this_ was, that tender moment went as fast as it came because the next words from Finch's mouth pretty much sealed their doom.

"Since you're all so hyper this fine evening," he had a wicked glee to his tone. His words biting as they were doing a fine job of making them shake in their boots. "Let's all go for a run, shall we."

Keita decided it was a good time to say something stupid (like a true _Devil Dog_ ), "Drill Instructor Finch, permission to moan freely!" he snapped.

"Granted," answered Finch.

"Aw come on!" moaned Keita. The movement caught up with the rest and soon enough there were a lot of moans and whines, or as Drill Instructor Finch puts it, _A Homer Simpson Moaning Fest._

He remembered laughing that night. Yeah, he laughed alright. He laughed a lot.

"One more thing, Drill Instructor Finch." said Jake catching the instructors and everyone else's attention in the barracks, "I ALSO SIGNED UP TO GET BEEFED UP, DRILL INSTRUCTOR FINCH!"

He paid for that one.

-0000-

 _Present time_

"I… I – I'm done." She was standing there fidgeting like a girl asking for a boy she likes for a second opinion on what she's wearing – how does she look? – You know; that sort of thing.

Ayane, she's just standing there, don't know what to do. Her eyes are looking at the ground, flickering between the wall to her left and the tree to her right; she just doesn't want to meet his gaze at the moment.

Even for a second.

"How does it look?" the anticipation was killing her; her heart was hammering, like one hundred drums pounding against her chest cavity.

It hung nicely around her neck, the purple bringing out the red those brilliant rubies for eyes she had; he made a noise – clearing his throat – before he answered. Jake gave her, an honest to god, straight answer. "It looks great."

But –

"You look beautiful."

– He just had to have a case of mouth diarrhea.

W.W.F.D – What would Finch Do? On second thought, he might be the wrong person to ask. It was one of those pin drop moments, only his life was on a razor's edge; he's seen some things. He's seen quite a number of them alright.

Rewind back to the night she arrived.

"Okay."

Jake practically tore his apartment inside out; banging and crashing – waking up the neighbors in the process – producing his mother's (technically his own) medical supply which she stored without his knowledge. He'd have to thank her for that.

"Keep pressure on the wound!"

Jake wasn't a nurse or anything; but being trained as a combat medic gave him just the right knowledge on what to do in situations. Such as the one he's in now.

Taking over the situation after Kasumi had told him quote, "I know what to do. Just listen to me and do as I say" unquote. Ayane was in danger of dying from blood loss; the stitches, while they seemed to be well done, still showed how much of a novice Kasumi was.

His instructor's words echoing in his head, " _Good effort but banged up job._ "

They were reopening; she used the wrong thread. Jake tore off his jacket and went to work. Kasumi was at awe at the speed and efficiency the strange young man worked. "A-are you a doctor…?"

"You wanna save your sister's life or not…!" he growled, she backed off. He takes her wrist then places them over his while pulling his own out from under hers. The small kit which he came with was open; he pulled out a medium glass bottle with a label on it.

It was written in English. She can't read that, sadly.

"Move your hand!" he instructed, and Kasumi complied. He tipped the bottle of anti-septic, pouring the contents onto the nasty looking wound, "Hold her down, please." He had instructed beforehand.

The unconscious girl lying down began to twitch and thrash with what little strength she had in her body; it was to be expected. Iodine hurts like hell but it helps.

"Can't you give her something for the pain…?"

"Not if I want to kill her!"

Ayane was groaning now. She must be screaming on the inside, only her body was too weak to do so. So her sounds of pain came out in straining groans and grunts.

Jake went back to the kit, pulling out a paper packed packet and tearing the top off with his teeth. He pulls out the dressing and presses it onto the wound on her stomach.

 _Shit! I didn't use the gloves…. Goddamn it!_

"Put your hand on this…!" He nodded to the dressing being pressed on her wound. Her struggle had stopped; Jake had to reassure Kasumi who was on the verge of breaking down that Ayane was merely unconscious.

Kasumi took over while Jake dug through _his_ kit looking for a surgical needle to stitch the reopened wound on her side.

He didn't have surgical staples nor the money – actually did but the pharmacies don't really sell the good ones – and his mom had taken the only one they had with her to the hospital. He'll have to do this the old fashioned way, needle and thread.

The wound on her side seemed deep. Urgh, if only he had staples . . . _But you don't!_ He screamed at himself; Jake was all over the place. He needed to calm down and analyze the situation.

His options were low but still options nonetheless; just make do, like a soldier.

"Found it, I uh . . ." his words stopped halfway. He had to be seeing things, thought Jake. There is no way, not in God's good earth, not a chance in the slightest was he seeing a – like a ball of blue light – glow circling around the hand that was pressed on the dressing he had placed earlier on the unconscious girl's midsection.

Kasumi muttered the spell of healing. For what it's worth, she was doing something other than burdening this fine stranger with her and her sister's problems.

Jake saw this . . . awesome? No, ghostly? That's not the word. _Supernatural_ , maybe, yeah, he was seeing this _supernatural_ scene unfold. Who I – no, who are these people that have come into his life?

It took a while for him to recollect himself, he wasn't sure how long, only that when he did – when he was in the right state of mind – she was done. The wound on her stomach, he checked there and not so much as a scar was found.

Her skin was skin unblemished, like it wasn't even there in the first place. Even the one on her side – the one he had intended to stitch – that one was _healed_ as well. Though he wasn't sure if _healed_ was the word he'd used for this.

But it seemed to be the only viable option, unless someone came up with a word for the definition, _magic blue light that heals wounds and not leaving a scar behind_ , he'd stick with _healed_.

The only other thing for him to do was, "What's your sister's blood type?"

"Huh…?"

Fast forward to forward to now.

Jake remembered being very weak after that; he was blood type-O positive, a universal donor and Ayane had the blood type-AB positive, a universal recipient. It was a good thing Kasumi knew, a lot of people don't realize the importance of knowing one's own blood type.

The knowledge of which could save a life, so sadly brushed aside. He drank two big bottles of soft drink and eaten a half eaten chocolate bar to give him a little strength. That and the adrenaline high – which he was coming down from, now – are the main reason he hasn't collapsed yet.

Kasumi also was pretty insistent that he do not fall asleep yet; speaking of Kasumi, she was in the kitchen making him something which she, quote ' _get your strength back_ ' unquote. The smell alone told him it was something delicious, he's no chef but he knows delicious food, somewhat.

"T-thanks, I guess." She was…..blushing? Well, her cheeks do look a shade darker or maybe it's just the lighting messing with his vision. Ayane refused to meet his gaze; he said something so embarrassing – and she's a ninja!

"U-uh, yeah, sure," Jake stammered his response. He turns promptly to face the tree, one moment of awkward silence later; there they were both healthy young people just looking at the tree, the fruit of their labor.

-0000-

It was around 0830 hours – give or take – when they showed up to the party. Well, _party_ was overstating it a bit, a friendly gathering if you may.

He dressed casually, opting for a comfortable pair of midnight black jeans and a simple gray t-shirt. No reason to dress up all the way to the 90's; this wasn't a cocktail party. He smiled softly as the pair descended in the elevator.

Ayane wore – something she dug up from his sister's collection of clothes when she stayed here _that_ one time – a rather well . . . It's difficult to put in words, he never pegged her as one for proper dressing.

Just that, what she's wearing at the moment, it…. _didn't agree with_ _ **her**_. And Ayane noted that fact too. In fact, her face showed the feeling of indignation she was currently in. Of all the things from his sister's wardrobe, all which just screamed _**High Society**_ this one was by the far the casual(est) of the casual.

He heard her grumble, one cheek puffing as she straightened out (roughly) straightened out non-existent creases; if anything was anything, he'd say she was taking out her anger and frustration on it.

 _My condolences; you have my deepest sympathies._ He gave the form fitting baby blue sweater a salute in his heart. Ayane had jeans to go with the sweater and red sneakers to match; all in all it was a rather well put together outfit, if he said so himself.

He even surprised himself by picking out of the box and throwing it in her direction; they would've been late otherwise but seeing as they are . . .

"Might as well just enjoy the trip down," he muttered out loud to himself.

"What was that…?" Ayane sneered staring pointedly at him. The butterfly necklace hanging nicely around her neck like it was meant to be there. "Nothing," Jake countered.

She 'hmphed' to herself; blue wasn't her color. Purple was.

And she found a very nice purple top which she liked and wanted to wear but Jaketold her that it was not suited for cold like this. And that if she did, she would have to wear one of his sister's winter jackets – the price of which would bleed him dry more than _Pain_ does on a day before weekend around the base.

There was a fine line here; one he wish not to cross – there were two things in this world his sister, Himiko cared about, the first was her family (they may never see eye to eye together but she can be reliable at some points while also being a bit absent minded as well) and the second would be her collection of designer brand clothing.

To compromise, he lent her one of his mother's winter jacket, which she left here at his place as well – his home might as well not be home and be called storage instead.

Hell hath no fury than a woman whose _idiot_ brother stained her _something_ famous Italian designer dress.

Jake felt a cold chill shoot up his spine at the memory of a rather unpleasant moment in his life, one which he does not feel like repeating (ever) or even want to remember **.**

 _Ding!_

The elevator bell chimed, signaling their arrival at their designated floor. They get out, elevator door closes behind them. The rowdy sounds of a party within earshot – men laughing, women chatting (doing their womanly thing and discussing womanly _stuff_ ) – the party had spilled out, a more nicer and less _teenager_ sounding way to put it would be, filed out into the little square.

There were tents and such set up, Fumiko- _obaasan_ wasn't kidding about inviting the whole shopping district. None of them seemed bothered by the cold. They were happily getting along with one another – aided by warmth from alcohol and good company. He saw Noro-san from the butcher stand. He had a beer in hand, and his cheeks were flushed and his face was pulled in a wide grin.

He laughed at something being said by Jo who runs the fish stand in the shopping district. He laughed so hard he was slapping his knee.

Then there was Goto-san and his daughter Ana, they were talking to someone, a stranger he's never seen in this part; and he's seen a lot of faces. The stranger was saying something to Goto-san who was shaking his head and waving his hand in front of him in a declining manner.

Ana looked like she just didn't want to be there. Her form was pressed up against her father's back. Ana had her eyes pressed shut and was biting her lips like she was pleading with her father not through words but through action.

The stranger was persistent, he'd give him that, Goto-san was the kind of guy you wouldn't expect to put up much of a fight, but he can just make any person or group of people leave by saying just _two_ words, so to speak.

Having seen enough, Fumiko- _obaasan_ stepped in. A broom in hand and she was sweeping the man out and away from this family/friend gathering. The man started shouting-saying something which the old bird didn't bother much with.

It served to fuel whatever fire burning in the belly of his landlady and strengthen her resolve of ridding the pleasant atmosphere of his negative presence. It worked.

The stranger ran, tripping on himself few steps in, but managing to recollect himself. "Oh, sorry," Jake apologized as the man bumped into him.

The stranger just snarled and slapped away the hand the young man had offered after he had fallen forward on the pavement.

"I don't like that man. Looks like trouble." Ayane said.

And Jake had to agree with her. That stranger, Jake had nothing but bad vibes coming from him, he wondered if it was one of those, what he'd seen on news, something about Talent Scam or something. Brushing his shoulder, "Me too," replied the young man.

In short, this Talent Scam ring was basically like a sex-trafficking thing. These guys pose as talent scouts or model recruiters, but the main thing is, they trick unsuspecting women into signing these contracts to nonexistent talent companies, luring them with grandiose tales of untold fame and fortune. Then they drug them, get them hooked on drugs, rape them or as the victims themselves state 'conditioning' them then they sell them off like poultry.

Intelligence analysts have calculated the time window on which a victim has to not being found ever again.

72 hours.

Investigators believe this goes as far back, all the way, to the Cuban Cartel. Or, even as far as the Russian mafia.

There's no knowing, really. How far this all goes back? But one thing is certain, it's _bad_.

Some victims resurface after a few years, in some foreign country, under a different identity with no memory whatsoever. And some resurface only not in the most favorable of conditions.

Whoever these people are, it would seem that one of their _agents_ had their eyes set on Goto-san's daughter. He wouldn't put it pass them not to try again but next time they do it would be when Goto-san wasn't around.

He'd have to keep a close eye on her then, Ana, in his stead.

For Ana's safety sake, for both him and Goto-san's sake, and for everyone's sake – he prayed it was _**nothing**_.

Things went back to their regular pace. Ana had pulled herself off from her father's back. Fumiko- _obaasan_ had her pulled in a hug, and was probably (more than likely) telling her everything is okay, all this while Goto-san watched from the sidelines before he saw Jake and an unknown female next to him.

Things seemed to pick up when they walked in.

The guests were having a good time, if his previous observation from a distance failed to convince him. Well, considered him convinced now.

First out the greet them, as soon as her old eyes saw them, Fumiko- _obaasan_ rushed out from the crowd and pulled Jake who was 1.72 cm into a hug; the young man had to lean forward slightly so his head was resting on her shoulder.

Next up, after him, was Ayane and she mirrored his actions as well. Leaning forward until her head could actually rest on the old bird's left shoulder. Only difference was, Granny Hara – as Ayane was permitted to call her by – gave her a kiss on each cheek.

"Thank you for coming, Ayane-chan." She said cupping both of Ayane's cheeks in her hands and looking into her eyes with her grateful ones.

To which, Ayane only nodded, "Hai, Granny Hara." And she smiled at the old woman. They went around; introducing themselves, most of the people recognized who Ayane was. But out of courtesy and politeness from the bottom of their hearts they still introduced themselves and welcomed her with open arms.

"Ah, Nee-chan from yesterday, you came!" Oh and before he forgot, there was Gin too. The young boy that helped with some of the groceries from yesterday; he ruffled the young boy's silver hair much to his friend's amusement.

Gin attest to this by grumbling his disapproval and dislike for the 'patronizing' act, "Hey, st-stop that, Jake!"

His friends laughed.

He snapped at them, "Stop laughing, all of you!"

His friends, groups of 3, all Junior High School age or _Chūgakkō_ , there was Kanbaru the athletic one, a head of dark blue and a pair of burgundy red eyes. Then there's Suguha – not the Ayane made up Suguha – sweet little thing (obviously had a huge crush on Gin) with a head of tomato red hair that stretched over her shoulders and big baby blue eyes that held un-foretold gentleness and compassion.

And lastly, Gin, the leader of the little group; the rambunctious tormenter but bravest of all the bravest, with his head of messy silver curls and mischievous pair of brown eyes; kid had a talent for trouble that made others worry whether or not he was going to grow up to be a troublemaker.

It was too late to worry about that now, much less, even think about it. Kid was already a talented troublemaker.

"Hey, Gin…"

"Hey, Jake…" the little silver-haired boy grumbled with one puffed cheek. The older, big brother figure, only smiled and asked, "Not getting into trouble again, are you?"

"O…Of course not…!" Gin retorted looking away, Jake had his suspicions too. Because, why does he sound so guilty if he didn't do anything wrong.

The boy's business is his business; it was not in his place to tell him otherwise. Life is a journey of trials and errors. If you don't do it yourself, no one else is gonna do it for you. It's your life.

"Ah, Jake-san, you came!"

Ana greeted him with a beaming smile. She was in different clothes than when he saw her in this afternoon.

"Ana-san, Merry Christmas…."

The girl nodded and said, "Merry Christmas to you too, Jake-san."

Looking around the large expanse of people, it was obvious why they held the event in the complex square. He doubted Fumiko- _Obaasan_ 's apartment would be able to hold 20 much less 10 even with the furniture removed.

The smell of cooking meat caught his nose, whetting his appetite. His stomach chose to make an embarrassing sound then, in front of Ana-san – can't blame him for starving himself this afternoon to make room for the feast, right?

He chuckled lamely, while rubbing the back of his head in pure embarrassment. "Mm-hmm~" Ana giggled softly. "Come on, that's Noro-san. Come." She pulled him along, both of them going in direction where Noro had his grill out and was barbequing away.

"Hey, boy-o…!" Noro-san greeted him, holding a pair of tongs in his hand and wearing a big grin on his face. He had cigarette tucked behind his left ear and in his other hand he was nursing a beer.

"Oh, and I see you brought missy with you, huh!"

"Noro-san," greeted the young man. "Everyone, this is Ayane, she's uh… _friend_ of mine from out of town. She'll be staying with me, temporarily, or until we find her, her own place."

Ana was the first to greet the purple haired young lady. She was indeed beautiful. And while she had her suspicion, call it women's intuition; she knew Ayane wasn't a bad person.

"Ayane-chan, Hi, I'm Ana. Shinra Ana desu, nice to meet you…" she smiled.

The smell was even stronger now that he was standing in front of it. And while many got acquainted with the purple haired girl, Jake's mind, from stimulation of cooking meat, was already swimming back in time to when he was in the SDF.

It – the smell – takes him back, to weekends on the base, when the D.I would lose the D.I façade.

Underneath Finch – this tough as nails, brash as they come – was this man-child that was ready and knew how to let loose. At first, they would all tense at him. The first time it happened, was when most of them were ready to head home for the weekend.

He comes in, intimidating as always. They snapped, standing at attention, within a blink of an eye; a perfect sync, as they call it.

Then as they waited for the set of orders, or just a mouth bashing, he'd point a thumb behind him then turn and leave.

Then his voice would call out from the door, "As you were…" they spent the better half of 10 minutes contemplating and questioning before Jake said, "let's see what he wants….?" It was better than keeping the man waiting outside the barracks.

He was sure they'd get yell at for keeping the Marine waiting. That much is certain.

"Hurry up…" he bit out in frustration then broke off into a jog. They followed him and he led them, further than they've ever been in base, and maybe even further. They grew puzzled as the moment went by, faces going by them – faces they recognized – greeting them.

Then it hits him, _D.I Pain_ (in the ass) was leading them out the backdoor!

As soon as that realization hit him, he began to laugh, and soon….so did the others. They laughed too.

Finch looked over his shoulder, a smirk playing across his lips, he just shakes his heads. It was a bright Saturday, the heat off the sun on his skin. He remembered his cheeks being very sore, on the way to their barbecue spot, they went by bus that acquired by some of Finch's friends.

'How' wasn't their concern then, as they were too busy having a good time – like the man-child these Marines were. The wind felt good against his face, after a long 2 hour bus ride, the air conditioning was shot so they rode for 2 hours in a hot bus, they arrived at their destination.

20 of them and a squad of Marines – they set up on this spot that was secluded but still within vicinity of a popular tourist spot. They drove past another bus, few miles back, chauffeuring kids on a school trip.

High schoolers naturally, and Marines being Marines, a phrase which he learned from one of them, goes by the name Richter – part German and Cherokee native – spoke in a mixture of German and English.

Richter was the jock of the group, as they were driving past this school bus carrying high schoolers, he sees their chaperone, a teacher obviously – pair of the biggest knockers (what he meant was very big breast) according to him – she was the shy-type from the looks of it.

Those neat but very self conscious about themselves sometimes, even when there aren't any flaws to be found (on the outside) but…. Anyways, this crazy German-Cherokee Marine, had the driver – a man named Sloan – lines their bus directly with the High schoolers and he goes up, to where the teacher was, her other male companion, a gym teacher, if the tracksuit wasn't already a big giveaway, was nudging her and grinning.

With some difficulty, as buses in Japan don't have those windows you can just pull down so easily, he broke it by punching it repeatedly with his fist.

Of course, Finch wasn't pleased about the damage – bus was still Military property – but at that moment, no one really cared, as they were too busy just looking at this _mountain of a retard_ (Sloan's words) and what is going to do next.

Even the kids on the bus all had their eyes at this strange western dark haired male with a bloody fist, leaning his head out a broken window, his piercing blue eyes were locked on to their teacher (the name of which they later learn was), Chisato Megumi-sensei.

Both busses, watched and waited, as this big man just leans back with his head upturned to the ceiling and his chest was presented through his brown t-shirt, takes a huge breath of air into his lungs, and as loud as the sound of thunder, shouted, "I LOVE YOUR TITS, CAN I TAKE YOU OUT!" in English.

And not once but twice, the second time, he yelled in Japanese.

" _Ore wa kimi no mune ga suki, DEETO SHIMASENKA_ _!"_

Safe to say, their lungs were in dire need of air after that, especially with all the laughing going on. That was unexpected, and in their culture, was rude to say such a thing but to see it actually done and in their tongue was just…. It even had Finch grinning from ear to ear and that was no small feat. Unless you find another way to make a man like Finch smile without torturing yourself.

The girls in the other bus went, " _KYAAH~ Sensei!_ " as soon as that was said. As for the teacher, her face matched the red of the shirt she was wearing. It looked like she wasn't gonna respond at all but later as they were nearing their destination – the road up ahead splits into two routes – the bus carrying the kids rounded the corner into a parking lot of an inn by the sea.

Before that, the teacher looks up, pink blush on her cheeks, she gives a bashful smile and waves at Richter. He responded in kind by blowing her a kiss. After that, they split into their individual routes. And, of course, Richter bugged Finch endlessly, "Don't set up too far from them! Don't set up too far from them!" over and over, like a gnat, refusing to go away.

And you could see these two were close friends, with Richter having his arm thrown around Finch's shoulders almost nonchalantly. He even went as far as promising Finch his beer portion – although it looked like it hurt Finch more than it hurt Richter.

"She's the one, man. I'm tellin' ya!" But his overconfidence seemed to have overridden any desire for beer, from that moment on.

They arrived after another 5 minutes of driving. "We're here, boys!" Sloan announced. The door hissed before it opened allowing the Marines and SDF personnel to file out. It had been forever since he'd been to a beach.

Last time, it was when he was still in High school.

The spot they were talking about was up the hill. Jake helped carried some of the stuff with Santiago – another Marine from Finch's group – a mild mannered man, born and raised in L.A gangland. Santiago was the only one in his family to ever complete High School with an offer to Harvard but…

"My grandfather was a Marine in World War 2. I wanted to bring back the warrior tradition, you know – _Salud mi Familia_ – and everything, _amigo_." He spoke, mixing Japanese and Spanish into his sentences. It threw him off a bit, but Jake got the gist of it.

The spot was fairly normal. The trees lined around formed a circle around a patch of bare land with grass growing here and there. Through the bushes, was the beach – white sands and clear blue waters – holding its arms out, readily welcoming them into its blue embrace.

They got to setting up, only catch was… _They_ had to set things up and the Marines telling them where and what to do. Super.

Small laughter broke out from the group, as Jake told the story. "And… and what happened later?" Ayane asked between laughter – she hasn't stopped since the part where when Richter _asked_ for a date – it made him wonder if she had great lung capacity. All that air had to be coming from somewhere. On another note, it was the second time, maybe, to hear Ayane laugh again.

"Well, after that…"

After everything had been set, the meat was cooking, and the empty beer bottles were piling up.

The last thing he expected was a hard right to his cheek, and Finch grabbing him by the collar of his t-shirt throwing him into the sand. Every time his feet found purchase to stand, Finch was there, landing a hard kick to his sides and sometimes to his face.

"So, you wanna bulk up on muscle huh, _Harvard_?!"

Everyone in the group frowned. Jake felt the disdain from Noro, Ana and those around towards Finch. He just hoped they listened before they started cursing bloody murder on his Drill Instructor.

"Get up…!" shouted Finch challengingly. Another kick to his side – both his sides were hurting now – before he rolled and avoided the other one that was sure to be a knockout aimed for his face.

He managed to get up, barely, and quickly assumed his fighting stance. "That's right. Come on, hit me….! Come on!" said Finch menacingly. The Drill Instructor even went as far as mocking the other man, by presenting his unguarded left cheek, and patting it.

Jake threw an inexperienced right, "Can't even tag an old man!" Finch moved almost blindingly and caught him in an arm lock and wrenched him forward while twisting his arm behind him.

Jake gritted his teeth, sand and blood mixed in his mouth, he couldn't even spit if he wanted too. The pain overwhelmed his sense as now his friends and Finches began to form a wide circle around the two and watched as they went at it like feral beast – but in this case, it was more like watching a deer trying to outwrestle a tiger – and the odds of Jake were slim to nil.

Forget winning, he couldn't even hit the man. It just goes to shows the difference in power and experience between them.

"Come on, try to get out! Try to get out, _Harvard!_ "

Jake's voice strained as he voiced out his answer, "A…Azabu, actually, _sarge_ …" He corrected.

"Whatever…!"

Jake rubbed his right shoulder, where Finch had applied the lock to, just thinking about it made that particular area just ache somehow. Maybe it was because Finch had caught him in that lock so many times, that it was burned into his muscle memory.

"So, did you win…?"

He had everyone's attention, even Ayane's, who after reigning in control on her laughing fit, was looking at him like she was studying. Her eyes were analytic. She was learning more and more about her _savior_.

Jake shook his head, "No, Noro-san, I didn't win. He had me in the triangle choke, and I had to tap."

"Triangle…triangle choke?" Ana tilted her head to the side, obviously confused, with a finger placed underneath her chin.

"I don't what you're thinking but I can definitely say it's not what you think…" Jake already saw the questions marks popping above the brunette's head.

Jake though inexperienced in hand-to-hand combat, was able to get Finch on the ground for no more than a few seconds, using his shoulder, driving them into Finch's midsection and pulling his leg to get the big man on his back.

He went for another right, trying to nail him once in the face, but all that succeeded was for Finch to block and grab that arm, before finally enveloping him in the triangle choke hold. Jake hammer-fisted Finch in his bulky thighs, trying to get the big man to loosen his hold, but it only made the hold even tighter.

"He's done! He's done!" Baker, another Marine, called the impromptu match after Jake finally tapped. A good 3 minutes in the hold – not bad for a scrawny kid from _Azabu_ – the other marines regarded Jake, who was laid out on the beach, with newfound respect.

The young man let out a huge gasp once Finch loosened the whole enough for him to slide out of it. "The _hell_ was that for, _Finch_?!" shouted Keita.

The other SDF troops tended to Jake who wasn't responding, while Keita – who was a black belt in Aikido and Jiu Jitsu – confronted the D.I, because he thought, at that moment. _Screw the fucking ranks!_

Baker handed Finch a beer, the man proceeded to pop the top off with his bare hands. He ignores the fuming Keita – merely brushing shoulders with the young man – to check on the now slowly regaining conscious Jake.

He patted the man's cheeks, both of them, trying to get him to focus. "Hey, hey, Har- Azabu, you okay, kiddo?"

"Squared away, Sarge…" Jake managed to slur.

Finch hands him the alcohol, wrapping his hand around it, as the boy was delirious. "Take a sip. Slowly…" instructed the Drill Instructor.

The first sip burned his mouth, he coughed, spitting out blood and sand and beer. Jake rubs his chest to sooth the cough, before taking another sip. "Yeah, you're good." Finch regarded the boy once more before deciding he was okay.

"You did okay, kid. You did damn well."

"Okay? Finch you almost killed –"

"Private Osamu, may I remind you that I am still your superior officer, so either you start addressing me as such by ending your sentences with 'Sergeant' or 'Sir' because if you continue to undermine me, then I am gonna have you cleaning the latrine with nothing but your tongue, until you can't taste the difference between piss and miso soup. _DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR, PRIVATE?_ "

"I said 'do I make myself clear' Private Osamu?"

"Yes, sergeant." gritted Keita.

Well, the barbecue still happened, with the added tension in the air. Finch didn't say anything, other than just nurse a beer and seemed well content feasting on a pork cutlet. Didn't even offer so much as an apology or an explanation for his actions…..

 _I'm just paraphrasing now!_

By the looks of it, it seemed the ending didn't sit well with the others. Noro-san, Ana… and company – they were just there, like mannequins, silent with their eyes hollow. Unsure of what emotion to show or thoughts they wanted to express.

"Anyway, Richter… He uh, got to meet that teacher, that night. I told him – though I was unsure what time lights out was – the time the students went to bed and for teachers to start…. _socializing_."

The man only grins. And it only got bigger, and well, going by body language, he was pretty much screaming through his actions 'Screw it' as he sprinted down the length of beach.

Afraid of a scandal that could jeopardize USMC reputation, Finch and the other marines followed the loose cannon known as Richter. While the SDF boys tidied up. Jake dug through the cooler for some ice. He found some. Putting them, and then wrapping them, in a handkerchief he kept on his person.

Jake presses it to his swollen cheek, hissing slightly, before groaning out in relief. His teammates told him to sit this one out and let them tidied up instead.

So, there he sat, on that cooler, enjoying the ocean breeze and the sound of waves lapping the shore.

Summer had arrived, huh? With his head upturned, he looked up to the stars. He wished he could be like them, shinning without a care. He inhales the salty air, the wind a welcome reprieve against his hot skin.

Yusuke came up to him.

"Hey there, Jake…"

Jake managed to get a reply out, mumbling, "What's up, Yusuke…?"

"You know, my dad used to do the same thing with me, beat me and stuff…."

Yusuke came from a family with kendō background, meaning they were very good. Every family, every generation, had at least one black sheep. In Yusuke's case, he was the black sheep. He had a flair for baseball. He loved it.

When he said he was gonna pursue his dreams of being the next Nagashima Shigeo. Like any other black sheep story, the statement wasn't well received. His dad, his mom, his entire family had a proud background of being Kendō champions.

So, for him to actually speak the contrary….

"It's motivation, you know. My dad wasn't the most expressive of human beings. But, deep down, I knew that. The beatings I took, day in and day out, they served as a motivation for me to keep pursuing my dream."

"How does that work…?"

"Easy. My dad never achieved his dream of becoming a professional soccer player. He never got to the World Cup. I found out while digging through his stuff and found a picture of Kamamoto Kushinige."

Jake snorted.

Yusuke smiled, his eyes were watery then. He was holding back. "One day, I found a New York Yankee's jersey tucked in my bag, and a little note. ' _Do your best – O'_ it read. I didn't need to be a forensic investigator to know who wrote that."

"Yankees…?"

"Yeah, Jake, 27 wins; you don't see the other teams holding that record."

He had to give him that, give credit when it's due and all that, while he wasn't an avid follower of baseball. Jake did have some knowledge of American baseball. A _little!_

"Eh…? What about Richter-san and the teacher?"

"Huh…?"

Ana pouted, "Mou, Jake-san, if you're gonna tell a story, at least remember what you're talking about!"

He laughed at his own blunder. Getting sidetracked like that, what's not to laugh, right?

-0000-

The bane of his existence…

No internet.

Or, rather, he had internet, as his bar showed but just couldn't connect to it. That damn yellow error sign on his full bar…

"Urgh…!" he groaned.

He tried restarting it. Unplugging and plugging it back. It's Christmas, he doubt tech support would be working. Or, much less, be on call.

Staring at that annoying steady blinking of the ADSL on his modem, he threw his head back against his chair. Great, just great!

Still even caught in such a peach, a smile still managed to find its way up to his lips. The people were welcoming. Very welcoming of Ayane – a complete stranger – it showed in the way they spoke and interacted with her in general.

There were a couple close calls however, which he think wasn't so good for his health – his heart that is.

While she still had a ways to go, one could evidently see the tension in her form, the way she talked. Probably never had to deal with so many people before, perhaps even held or spoken more than a few words.

He wouldn't know.

To him, she's just a window smasher, and house crasher that crashed – literally – into his life one night.

But he was given a job, a mission then, and he will complete it.

It was a nice experience, to be able to be among these unique and different people, that one big gathering where different personalities, different backgrounds, just fitting together nicely like well put together jigsaw puzzles.

If anything, that story about Richter and the teacher was a hit with them. Fumio even got a few laughs out of it, even if the story was passed around, and some things were taken way out of context.

Well, to surmise what happened after that, Richter did meet the teacher. No, there was no _taking her to town._ They exchanged e-mails, which came as sort of a surprise; they dated a couple times after that.

The German-Cherokee native was quite the gentlemen when the need arise. Right after his second year in training, Chisato Megumi had become Mrs. Richter Chisato Megumi.

Richter's first name was Alan, by the way.

Still, it was a good night.

They ate, they drank, they sang and there were one or two kisses happening underneath the mistletoe.

But the main highlight had to be Shinra Ana singing Silent Night – his favorite Christmas song – that made the night memorable. When actually, there were just too many moments that made the night what it is, so he just listed the few the can.

Now he was here, in the dining room, on his laptop. His sister, Kashima Himiko, had texted and video called, wanting to see her dear big brother. Of course, Jake made sure to move away, or at least far enough from Ayane, so she doesn't appear in frame suddenly.

He didn't need to tell a long winded story about this and that, coming up with _stories_ on the fly, just so he could keep his sister quiet. It came as a question, for many, as to who was the older sibling here.

Sometimes it would seem Himiko was the mature one, but on occasions it was him who was the most level headed.

She had demanded, quote _'send me lots and lots of pictures, Nii-chan!'_ unquote.

He got _'lots and lots of pictures'_ alright. Now it's just the _'send me'_ part that he needed to figure out. Texting via phone would eat up his data, a lot of it.

Sighing once more, he figured he could send it when (or if) he's ever close to the office.

The second item on his list of the night, was responding to a text sent by his friend, Yuri. She had texted him the time of the venue.

 _Sender: Yuri_

 _Message:_

 _3 yahoo~ Jake-kyun, its Yuri-nyan, you're number 1 idol desu. The event tomorrow starts at 10. So be at the gates by 7. That way you don't have to line up all the way at the back._

 _Also, bring Sakura-chan as well._

The first thing that came to mind after reading the text was, _Kyun…?_ Was that supposed to be cute? He supposed not.

The timing didn't come as a surprise. Not to him, having been to a few in the past, which were before his SDF days with friends. Still he couldn't help but frown a little, because – again, it was the timing.

It was the holidays and all.

He just wanted to relax.

Swallowing defeat, he responds to Yuri's text.

 _Sent to: Yuri_

 _Message:_

 _Right, I'll be there but why 7?_

 _And yes, I'll pass it on to Sakura as well. Have a good night, and Happy Holidays._

Christmas ended just as the clock struck twelve midnight. His phone chirped again, signaling a response.

 _Sender: Yuri_

 _Message: Mou~ it doesn't matter why 7 or whatever the time is. Muu muu! *pouty face* Just be there._

 _Take-kun will be there too. But he'll be with his circle and I with mine. 3_

 _Bring Sakura-chan!_

He didn't respond this time. It must be a woman thing because whatever Yuri said he'd do, he did. Shaking his head against the head rest, Jake stood up promptly. He needed a shower, and while it was late, and it was cold.

He didn't care.

Also, he didn't want to go to sleep, smelling like cheap booze, barbecue meat, and cigarettes – all of which was present downstairs. Entering his room to get a towel from his closet, Ayane was sound asleep, he envied her.

She was in his bed, wrapped in his comforters, and he's had to relegate himself to a futon in the living room. He sighed quietly, dejectedly.

Retrieving the towel, it was a matter of sleepwear. Jake pulled open his cupboard and pulled out a pair of checkered pajama pants and plain t-shirt before closing it.

He snuck out the same way he came in, unaware that a certain ninja girl had already noticed his presence, but pretended to be asleep.

"…Amateur." She mumbled to herself before going to sleep, for real, this time.

-0000-

4 years ago

"So what made you sign up, Sergeant…?" It was a simple question, innocent even.

He just wanted to know his Drill Instructor better.

Arthur 'John' Finch scratched his cheek, humming as he did. The two men were seated on a bench, in a park, just in front of El Toro. Here, family members congregate, friends gathered, catching up on old times and what's current with those who signed up for the service.

"What about you kiddo, Azabu High School, huh…" He snorted, "Kid, with your level of education, I'm surprised you're not a politician yet. Wasn't Hashimoto Ryutaro from Azabu too?"

Jake only shrugged, "I wouldn't know about that, Sergeant. I wasn't born yet when Hashimoto Ryutaro, the former PM of Japan, was still studying. But, yeah, I guess he was, otherwise they wouldn't have placed his picture with all the other alumni in the same year, right."

He further added, "Well, I don't know much about the late Hashimoto Ryutaro, but I can tell you my story, if that's what you want."

Drill Instructor, Sergeant Arthur Finch, pursed his lips and shook his head. "Well go on then…"

"Well, my mom didn't really care for what I did after High School – cause 18's the official leaving the nest age and all – she just said, I should get a good education, ' _the best_ ' as she puts it."

Finch nodded. He doesn't say anything, but allows the boy to continue.

"So, I got into Azabu, studied hard, because at that age, I really wanted to get out on my own. Eventually, before I knew it, I was at the top of my class with a dozen offers to some law school or better yet, software engineering."

Now, Arthur Finch snickered. "Yeah, I can imagine – I read the rules. Their pretty lose in their doctrine, eh. Very _free spirited_ , no rules to follow and they don't compel you to _study hard_."

"Sergeant Finch, sir, I can read every book but I can tell you 90 percent of it is just telling you the rules of how the _real world_ works. You'll probably use like 10 percent of what you study; the rest is just instructions to follow."

Now, Finch smiled, "Kashima, if he were alive now, I know he'd have agreed with you somewhat…." He said.

"Who, sarge…?"

"George Carlin."

Jake stared puzzled at the statement, "George…Carlin, Sarge…?"

Finch nodded, "Great man…" Said the Marine Instructor, "Look him up when you have time."

He pondered on that while the Drill Instructor took another swig from his beer which he had been nursing for the better half an hour. "Sarge, a personal question…?"

"No such thing as personal, kiddo. You and I wear the uniform, different in every way, but still holds as much meaning as the next – we fight and defend our countries. Even if they do bend us over, and fuck us till we're dead."

"Pretty graphic analogy there, Drill Instructor," commented the Private First Class.

"So what's the question, Private First Class Kashima?"

"My first question is the same as the last. What did you sign up for?"

Finch looks up, smiles, and says, "Ever look up, kiddo…?"

"Look up, sir?" he wasn't sure if it was a trick question, or what. Finch only pointed up. There it was, as Jake finally looked up, waving proudly in the wind, _Nisshōki_ or _Hinomaru_ – the flag of his country.

"Leaders will come and go. A country will have its ups and downs. Ideologies, policies, even people will change. But, in the end, standing there, waving proudly over yonder will be the flag that represents us."

Jake nodded, "I guess, I understand," he said.

"I salute the flag, kiddo. Not the person they replace every 8 years."

-0000-

" _Now something a lot of you are aware of – those of you with illegal cable hookups – will be aware of the fact, that…uh, one of the things I like to do on my shows is, complain, you know. It's kind of a motif for me, complaining, and of course this weird culture we live in leaves you no shortage of things to complain about. So this next piece of material – like most good ideas – is fairly simple. It's just a list of 'People who ought to be killed'._

Oh god, not 10 minutes in, he was already stretching his cheeks to their limits, while trying to hold in his laugh.

Standing in there, lost in a vast sea of warm bodies, he was dressed casually as casual can be – a pair of gray jeans, a black long sleeve, dark pair of sneakers, scarf and a black winter jacket over the entire outfit – he was already shaking on the inside with laughter that was ready to burst forth.

"What are you laughing about…?" Ayane grumbled. She was still upset about being woken up so early to go to some _nerd_ convention. She had a hood pulled over to hide her purple hair – Jake wasn't taking any chances – she wore a red sweater, underneath a purple winter jacket, blue fitting jeans and a pair of very comfortable red sneakers.

They were already running late, so Jake didn't have time to _dictate_ what she should or should not wear.

"Hmm?" he hummed, acknowledging her.

"I said, 'what are you laughing about?'" she repeated herself.

Jake pulls out one of his ear buds, "Here," said Jake, bringing it to her right ear, pushing it under her hood.

' _Here's another unfortunate pack of mutants who ought to be penciled in for a sudden visit from the Angel of Death…'_

He didn't take into account on whether or not she understood English, as he had downloaded the original English version.

"Mmph…!" He heard Ayane suddenly exclaimed. She pulls the ear bud out, letting it hang on his person for a moment, while she recollect herself. "Who is that?!" she asked.

"That was George Carlin and – wait, you understand English?!" now it was Jake's turn to act surprised.

 _The gates shall now open, all patrons please proceed in an orderly manner, and please enjoy!_

Before he could ask anything else, the PA system came online, cutting him off. The Staff keeping the people in check, and making sure everything proceeds swimmingly, ushered them in.

"Don't push! Don't push!" their voices trumpeted over the stampeding herd of Otaku fan boys and such.

"Let's go…" said Jake. He takes her hand in his, surprising the girl. "Wouldn't want to get lost now, do we?" he grinned sheepishly.

 _Wow, her hand's pretty soft…_

West Hall 1F

" _And now, the moment you've all been waiting for. Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to COMIKET's Winter Cosplay Fashion SHOOOOOOW!"_

Cheers erupted through the crowd, as he stood there dumbly, his face the portrait of 'why did I say yes again?' as the first model took center stage, accompanied by the roar of the crowd, beholding the beautiful contestant in a yukata.

2 hours earlier….

"Jake-kun, we're here!" Yuri waved at them from her booth. She could see them, as they approached out the crowd, like helicopters out of a cloud of smoke – sort off.

Jake looked like he had been in a fight with his disheveled appearance and Sakura-chan… was the picture of perfection as she emerged alongside him. Like oil and water, walking side by side, in their contrasting state of wear.

"W-wow, Jake… Uh, are you okay? Do you need anything?"

"W-water… _please._ " said the young man, almost wheezing, like he had run a cross country marathon at full speed without stop.

"A...ah, alright, hold on – Take-kun, can you get a water for Jake and a soda for me and Sakura-chan, honey."

A callback came from behind, Takehito's voice, came over the deafening sound of the event in progress. "Oh, they're here…already? That's quick!" he said from somewhere behind the booth they set up.

" _Ano,_ excuse me, are you _Fujino Moe_ -sensei?"

"Yup, that's me. Who's asking?" chirped Yuri.

It was a young boy, about 16 or older, just from the way he looks. "Ah, I love your work, _Fujino_ -sensei. Your art style is incredible, unique even. And your story telling is on par with that of famous mangaka…" It was super flattering to hear such praise coming from one who enjoys her work so much.

"Oh, you…" she smiled coyly.

"That said, can I have the current issue, please Sensei!"

"Oh, sure," Yuri or rather, quite famously known by many as, Fujino Moe-sensei, said. She guided – pulled – Jake and Ayane (then Sakura) to her booth, where from behind, emerged Takehito – her boyfriend – holding some drinks in hand.

"Go ahead and talk with Take-kun, you two, while I deal with my first customer of the day!"

And while Moe-sensei did just that, Jake and Take caught up, clasping arms. Jake took the water from Take, opened it, and drank nearly half the bottle before sighing in bliss.

"Thanks," said Jake, giving gratitude for the water.

Takehito nodded slightly.

"Ah, that felt so _goooood!"_ Yuri said, stretching both arms over her head, whilst tilting back slightly. She releases a breath of air, in a pleased sigh, taking in the sight around her, the young woman remarks to herself, "Today's gonna be a good day!" she cheered.

There was a steady stream of people coming and going from her booth, all expressing their thoughts – praise and critiques – and fascination with her work.

Though unlike the other stalls, hers wasn't as busy, occasionally, a fan would walk up and ask for a current issue of her work. The good ones – made by professional doujinshi artist – were being sold in a different part of the complex.

"Pretty cool right, Sakurachii…?"

"Looks like a lot of work," replied Kirishima Sakura. She was skeptical, and it was a lot of work, from the looks of things. Picking up one of the issues she had stacked on the table, the cover looked decent, well drawn even. She leafs through it, noting the art style and writing, the characters, the story.

Yuri pops her head behind Sakura's left shoulder, "So, what do you think...?"

"It's pretty good," she said without batting an eye her way and continues to leaf through page after page. That is, until Yuri decided to snatch it out of her hands, "Okay, that's enough, I got paying customers. You wanna read it then buy it."

She added to that statement by sticking her tongue out.

"Say, Jake, I'm gonna be awhile, so why don't you take Sakurachii and show her around. I'm sure Sakurachii would love it. "

He didn't get a second word in when Takehito spoke for him, "Yeah, man, show your lady a good time."

He – Jake – didn't even want to comment on that, he was honestly tired of it already but best let them say what they want to say. It'll be over when she's finally gone.

"Huh…?" some 'eh(s)' and 'ah(s)' later, the two of them were walking around, a map (courtesy of Takehito) in hand; they were like lost travelers in a long forgotten city. In Jake's case, he was more of a traveler returning to said lost city.

But first things first…

"You're not gonna walk around with that hood on the whole time we're here, are you?" Apparently, Ayane did have such a thought in mind, never mind the crowd or anything – she'd fit right in.

They would've thought of her as another cosplayer cosplaying some anime character they don't know about. Oh, maybe it was that 'Rainy Devil' from the Monogatari series, right?

Seeing that keeping her hood on wasn't as plausible a solution in regards to long term (she has to take it off at some point), Jake decided to buy her a cap or something to hide that head of purple.

One thing he learned in his high school days: Never underestimate an Otaku's knowledge and keen eyesight.

The Dead or Alive fever was at an all time high a few years back, and surely, most definitely, said fever had accumulated quite a number of followers.

He learned from previous experience, once he came here wearing his uniform, an Otaku came up to him and quickly went into detail. Excruciating detail, about his impromptu 'Araragi Koyomi' look – he had a cow lick or _ahoge_ as they say here in Japan – and his hair was long with bangs combed over, covering, his right eye.

Blame it on bad hair day!

Now he keeps his hair short, side-back cut and everything. The style he went with for his hair was just a longer version of the crew cut. It was easy to take care, didn't require much grooming.

If he felt like it, he could just use his fingers and ruffle up his bangs and _voila_ frontal spikes!

Still though, there were instances, when one or two co-workers would come and ask him if he got his hair done at a saloon.

Heck no! He cuts his own hair. Or, so he'd tell them but not as crude, it's funny because you'd expect something like this out of a woman.

He didn't need to set off a chain reaction – knowing the high numbers of DOA followers – here in Comiket and be swarmed and bombarded with useless trivia of Dead or Alive contestant, Ayane.

About every stall sold merchandize from key chains, to head ornaments, even handkerchiefs with anime character prints. And while it had been some time since his last Comiket, he noted some new 'trends' going around.

Mainly, the Wolverine trend, there were guys in tank-tops and jeans with their hairstyles molded into…well, Wolverine's hair. They had claws (actually just gloves with rubber blades sticking out), some wore leather jackets and they spoke – he tried not to cringe each time – in this deep, husky, growl, broken English voice.

Case and point, "Watch it, bub!" as quoted by one such cosplayer that bumped shoulders with him.

Best let sleeping dogs lay, right. Lest he incurred the wrath of a dozen other wolverine's walking around. Other honorable mentions were the Xena Warrior Princess Group, Naruto group (what's Comiket without one Naruto cosplay), and Sailor Moon Group (which was mostly oversized/scrawny men in short skirts, thigh high, pure white stockings…. It's getting to graphic to describe. To surmise it, something no innocent eye should see at ALL).

Okay, there were good cosplayers, and there were bad ones. He's willing to admit as much.

Do a Google search; type in the search box 'Best Comiket Cosplay 20XX' the results of which will dazzle you, if you're into that sort of thing.

And as for the Wolverine Movement, he guessed it had something to do with the latest and final installment in the Wolverine Trilogy, Logan.

The section he wandered into – where the Wolverines, Sailor Moons, Narutos, etc congregated – all in search for something to hide a head of purple hair, turned into an eye banquet of nightmares.

Can't blame him, not after having a dozen overweight, or borderline anorexic men, acting like girls, talking in cutesy voices more akin to nails on a chalkboard, touching him here and there, and he had to walk through it all.

ALL IN SEARCH OF SOMETHING TO COVER AYANE'S HAIR!

"Hey, you guys have any caps or things like that…?" he asked the closest stall next to him.

The guy managing it smiled, saying, "Yeah, we got a few assortments of caps, designs and colors; as well as, Beanies, if you're interested in that too?"

"Just give my friend here in the hoodie whatever she likes," he said, digging into his pocket for his wallet.

"That would be 574.9 yen, please."

"That's a pretty specific number…" Jake remarked. He handed the man the money, who took it without question, and as customer service yadda yadda yadda mandated, said, "Thank you for shopping here." with a bow, and a very consumer friendly smile.

Not sure if he really appreciated the way he spoke when telling him the price though. Like he was saying 'It's that or find yourself another stall!" only in a more placid manner.

Ayane pulls her hair up, making it into a bun, before covering it with the red beanie just recently purchased.

It was one of those beanies, that kids loved wearing these days, with words like 'Obey' or something on them. In this case, it was a red beanie with the word 'Killer' stitched to the front in white thread.

He might be over thinking here, maybe. But does it seem weird that the word 'Killer' stitched on the front seemed oddly consistent with her. It's just a feeling, but a feeling nonetheless, but…

 _Is it just me, or does the word 'Killer' just suits her to a tee?_

Maybe he's just over thinking. He seems to be doing it a lot lately. Or, is he just over- goddamn it!

It was easier to navigate after that, without the hoodie obstructing her view, they checked out a few stalls making their way unknowingly to the main concourse. All the while, Ayane seemed twitchy – if going by her way of looking around the crowd – her hand was pressed to her side, anxiously.

As if she was waiting for someone to spring an attack at any moment.

"Relax…" he told her.

The map did come in handy, it helped him steer Ayane clearly away from anything DOA related and DOA themed.

For real though, the cosplayers there just take cosplaying to a whole new level – Bikinis, leather leotards, a…a belly dancer bikini-dress thingy? – Normally these outfits would've had the personnel working the event escort them behind to change into more modest looking outfit but…

"UUWOOOOOHHH!"

From the cheers of the crowd, as a girl would strike a pose it would be followed up by dozens of flashing lights and snapping cameras with lecherous grin behind the lenses.

The skimpiest he's ever seen was probably in his High School days, the skimpiest would be a bikini strap tank top and cut off jean shorts.

"Guess I'm just too old for this…" he said, "What the hell am I saying…!" he let out a sharp breath.

 _Outer Concourse_

They stepped out into the open air concourse, here was mainly for Cosplayers to _present_ themselves and the characters they were cosplaying. He noted a few that he knew of: Nami, Hatsune Miku, Tifa Lockhart, just to name a few off the top of his head.

Some were good, some were average, and some just made his stomach turn. No doubt they put the effort but he'd wish they'd pick a character that suited them more. Because grown men, acting like women, was as bad as walking in on your dad naked.

"Maybe…" he muttered out.

Ayane didn't know if she wanted to puke her guts out or spill them. Here is this man, dressed in a freaking Magical Girl outfit, white stockings and everything, waving that stupid, 100 yen store, magical cane around while doing little 'moves' and saying in a cutesy (nail against chalkboard) voice, "With the power of love, I vanquish the darkness from this world~"

Ayane takes a step back. She was weird-ed out.

"Jake let's get out of here," she said as another one of them popped up from behind her, startling her. She yelped, taking a few shaky steps forward, she turns glaring at the perpetrator, locking eyes with him, with the intensity of ember hotter than hell itself.

"S-sorry," said the timid little chap who scampered off.

"This is normal," Jake said nonplussed, seeing her apparent disgust as it is.

They went back inside, after wandering around, taking in the sights. Neither saying a word to the other, save for a conversation about an incident that happened the previous night.

"Did you get to talk with Goto-san about 'that' thing?"

"Nah, I didn't get the chance. Also, I didn't want to ruin the festivities for him with heavy talk."

"That's awfully considerate of you," she smirked, peeking out the corner of her eye, with a smug look on her face.

Jake ignored the subtle jab, and instead focused on walking and not bumping into anyone. How do people move in these things? He wondered.

"How 'bout you, I mean, how's your first Christmas…?"

No answer. What could she say anyway? It was great. That would sound too cliché. She didn't know! It was her _*first*_ after all. She bit her lip, searching her mind for the right words. Usually she'd never had any problems with finding the right words.

She didn't even bother trying to sugarcoat it. She'd tell them straight up what's on her mind. Screw what they think of her and all!

"It… No, I mean – uh, they were… They were good," she managed to get out. Ayane allowed a small smile to grace her lips, thinking of all the people that were funny and warm towards her.

They were indeed good people.

"That's good to hear…" saying that, his phone chirped in his pocket.

 _Sender: Yuri_

 _Message:_ _Jake-kyun, I'm done now, why don't you and Sakura-chan come to the booth. I have something to tell you about!_

He didn't bother trying to reply to that. Jake pockets his phone, tapping Ayane on the shoulder and telling her, "Yuri's done, let's head back to her booth."

She nodded and followed along.

They navigated, though with great difficulty, back to where they came from. There was Takehito, Yuri and an unknown female with them. She seemed familiar… Hmm, where did he see her again?

"Jake-kun…!" Yuri waved, "Sakura-chan!"

They came up, Yuri was pouting for what reasons he didn't know, but she seemed upset and was tapping her watch while staring pointedly at Jake.

"Mou Jake! You're late, what took you?!"

He somehow managed to avoid Hurricane Yuri thanks to Takehito, but still she was a little (just a little) upset with him.

"Well, you're here, Sakura-chan!"

"So, what's this thing you wanna tell us about?"

"Mm-hmm~" she grinned, "First things first, Jake I'm sure you remember Koyuki-san from your birthday."

His birthday…?"

Yuri's smile slowly turned into disbelief then a frown, "You don't do you?"

"Te-hee~" He tried to play it off. "Sorry, Koyuki-san, I'm…bad with names." Then, he apologized.

Koyuki-san, with a head of orange brown hair, and a braided strand hanging down her right cheek, wore a smile as she spoke, "It's okay, Kashima-kun, I also forgotten your name as well." she said.

"Uugh… Take-kun, hold me~" she sighed. The revelation alone left her drained as she required a shoulder to hold on to. Hugging Takehito around his waist like a sloth hugging a branch, she speaks with her face buried in his chest.

But her words come out muffled.

"What was that?"

Yuri pulls her face out off Takehito's chest, turning to Jake, a mischievous glint in her eyes telling him he was not gonna like what was gonna come out of her mouth.

"Remember how I said Sakura-chan would make a very convincing Ayane-sama…?"

Already he was beginning to not like the direction this was taking. If anything, he wanted to grab Ayane and dash through the crowd faster than any speedster in the comic book world.

"Well…"

. . . . . . . . Later

"You did what?!"

"Ah, did I say something bad…?"

How can she just say something that…that _outrageous_ in such an innocent manner?! Scratch that, like it was the most normal 'oh, did I do something wrong?' way!

Okay, that was a tad paraphrasing and maybe contradicting way to put it but you get the gist of it!

"What? Did I do something wrong?"

Stop saying that like you've done nothing wrong!

In case there are those of you who are wondering, why was he so…surprised? Let's take a look back at the night after Kasumi accidentally blurting out 'ceasefire' while talking with Jake.

 _The night they arrived_

 _Dec 23_ _rd_

 _2100 Hours + 30 minutes_

" _Ceasefire…?"_

" _I…I shouldn't have said that," she was like a child that had accidentally blurted out something – more like a teenage girl that accidentally blurted out how she was going at it behind her friend's back with her boyfriend (not of that magnitude, of course) – that should've been kept to herself or kept a secret, which is the same thing._

' _B...But he has to know… I can't leave Ayane alone!'_

 _Jake clears his throat bringing Kasumi out of her internal musing. His face was a mix of 'What are you talking about?' and 'Better talk or else!" look._

 _The young man had his arms crossed before him, pressed against his chest. They sat at the table in a tense but awkward silence. A sort of 'Father-teenage daughter' sits down at the table._

" _Jake-san…No, Kashima-san, I… I have something to tell you."_

"… _."_

 _She takes his silences as her go ahead._

" _Kashima-san, I…my sister and I…" she looks ups at him, those amber tinted irises – full of determination and resolute – locking with his darker brown ones._

" _We are Kunoichi…"_

 _. . . . ._

" _. . . . What?"_

 _What did she say?_

" _What did you say?"_

" _Kunoichi… it means –"_

" _Yeah, yeah, I know what a female Ninja is… but, before that, what did you say?"_

" _I said, me and my sister, Ayane, we are kunoichi…"_

 _How do you respond to that? Something so…out of this world – this realm – what we call reality? How?_

 _You don't._

 _There's no response for something like this…this unprecedented. He had no playbook for this._

" _I and My sister are Kunoichi of the Mugen Tenshin Clan – Mist Phantom Heavenly God Clan – but hail from different sects; I am Tenjinmon or Heavenly God Gate Sect. While my sister, Ayane, she hails from the Hajinmon or Supreme God Gate as the westerners call it."_

 _Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!_

 _Jake holds his hands out, a gesture for her to stop, this is…this is ludicrous. Tenjinmon, Hajinmon, Heavenly God Gate, Supreme God Gate…what!?_

" _Uh…Kasumi-san…?"_

" _Just Kasumi is fine."_

" _Right, Kasumi… I uh… This is all…."_

" _It's real."_

" _It's insane."_

 _She looks down ashamed, coming from an outsider's perspective, it does indeed sound insane._

 _But it was the absolute truth!_

" _I helped out two girls only because they didn't want to be taken to the hospital. In a single night, I've seen things I can't quite explain and things I can't wrap my head around, no matter how hard I try."_

 _ **Damn it! I'm repeating myself again!**_

" _Look I had a crazy night, alright. So much has happened this evening, so much that I can't quite put my hand on. I'm repeating myself again, am I?"_

 _Kasumi nodded._

" _Look, I'm tired, I'm... I just gave blood to a complete and total stranger; I saved her life and all. I don't know why. I just acted. But…" He made a fist, clenching and unclenching it, in the air like he was trying to grip on something._

 _Also, he was still slightly woozy from giving blood. Two bottles of 1.5 liters of Dr. Pepper and a half eaten energy bar don't really count as a proper meal or, an energy booster._

 _What time is it? He thought. 09.59, it read on his watch._

 _Growl~_

 _It certainly was her stomach that's for sure, thought Kasumi. She had already eaten._

 _Jake was staring off to the side, a cute blush on cheeks, she giggled looking at the flustered young man. Don't find those often nowadays._

" _Hungry…?"_

" _Yeah," he replied._

 _Kasumi stands up promptly. She looks at him in his flustered state, smiling inwardly and outwardly, passing by him – it was like she was happy – she tells him, gripping one shoulder and says, "I'll make you something…"_

 _He tried to protest but to no avail. "You…" he sighed._

 _While his attempts at dissuading her were moot at this point, he still smiled a little though, as the sound of tap water running and a *clank* of a pot being placed on the stove followed by the click and fwoop of the stove turning on._

 _What came next was the sound of something ripping, and crunching, before an all too familiar smell enters his nose: Instant ramen._

 _Kasumi fine chops some green onions she found, there wasn't much she could use, the chicken would have to be defrosted again and cooked if she wanted to add it into the soup. She found some sausages, which she took out two of them and started cutting them up before throwing them into the boiling broth._

 _She goes to the fridge again, taking out two eggs and boils them in a separate pot in hot water._

 _And while she busied herself with the task of preparing him a meal, Jake thought It'd be a good idea to move around a bit, sitting on a chair and waiting was just making him bob his head and his eyes fluttered to stay awake._

 _He was still a little weak, groggy even, but maintained full motor control over his body. He hugged the wall closest to him, using it to keep upright and leaning against it on his shoulder._

 _Jake starts to pace around, back and forth, left and right. He was trying to 'not fall asleep' as instructed by Kasumi, remembering her earlier order. He breathes in through his nose, exhales through his mouth. 3 times, 3 practiced breaths. It helps calm him down allowing him to process tonight's events._

' _Kunoichi' comes from the 3 strokes in the kanji for woman. If he was not mistaken, that's how it was written. Kunoichi – female ninja – an assassin, and like most female assassins, relied on their sexuality to get close to an enemy._

 _Of course, that is just one of the many methods employed by femme fatale._

 _He – Jake – thought, could he have potentially two dangerous women in his apartment right now? The rational side of him said no, while the more irrational (perhaps) side of him sounded the fire alarm that wailed yes._

 _But all evidence points to the contrary, the blade, the fact that they somehow got into his apartment through the back window which by the way was on the 9_ _th_ _floor, a sheer drop down behind and no fire escape to climb up of._

 _And speaking of the window, he had to get it fixed._

 _And not to mention, that strange magic – he can't believe he's saying that – used to 'heal' that other girl's wounds. Fatal ones, at that!_

 _Could it be…?_

 _Maybe if he listened…_

' _I'm too much of a nice guy sometime….' He sighed to himself, musing to himself as he did._

 _The odds sure were against him in this one._

 _She comes back, tray in hand, a single white ceramic bowl rests on it, a small cloud of steam come wafting from it; the smell alone already whets his appetite._

 _It was just instant ramen, how good could it be?_

 _Kasumi lays the tray down, with the bowl in it, in front of him. "Here you go…" she said, sounding hopeful as she added, "enjoy." Before taking the same seat to his left while he sat at the head._

" _Itadakimasu," He gave thanks, clapping his hands once as he did._

 _Taking the chopsticks set aside by Kasumi, he dips it into the broth. He starts to eat._

 _Jake found himself surprised at the taste alone. It was just regular packet ramen!_

 _He savors each bite as he continued to eat, Kasumi watches with a small smile on her face. To see someone enjoy something she made, like she did during her childhood days, she comes home with fish caught from the river._

 _One would always find her in the kitchen among the retainers, or outside even, her mother, Lady Ayame, taught her to be humble and to help out whenever and wherever she can._

 _It would seem to them that the lesson was well learned. The little princess of the Mugen Tenshin was cleaning fish with the cook watching over and pointing out this and that for the little brunette 'Chibi'._

 _Lord Shiden and Lady Ayame enjoyed the meals and other food prepared by their daughter, whilst her older brother, Hayate would often tease her by calling out, "Disgusting!" just to get a rise out of her._

 _And of course, it worked. Her small fists would pummel him in his upper arm making the whole table erupt into laughter. Kasumi would pout at her brother who would then pull out the one thing that someone as gullible as her couldn't resist: candy._

 _Yes, there were conditions to fulfill before he handed it out, simple conditions: she just had to promise to smile._

 _Like taking candy from a baby, or uh, giving it to them._

 _Jake finishes the bowl of noodles with one last slurp. "Gouchisousama," said the young man, wiping his mouth with a napkin. He stands up, ready to take the bowl and tray to the sink when Kasumi promptly stops him._

" _Let me do it…"_

" _No, you've done…" he takes one step forward, and immediately loses balance, the bowl sliding off the tray onto the floor shattering into a pieces._

 _Or, it would've if the girl stopping him hadn't moved blindingly fast, like she just teleported there in time to catch the ceramic white bowl._

 _He had nothing to say to that._

 _Living room_

 _He sat there, on the couch, mentally preparing himself. He agreed to listen. Even gave her his verbal consent to hear her out._

" _I've had some things happen to me before, and have wished to be heard by someone as well. I'll hear what you have to say… But don't expect me to agree to things, alright?"_

 _Jake held his hand out to the girl._

 _Resting the bowl on the table, she takes his hand and shakes it._

 _He pats the empty space besides him. She sits herself down after saying a small thank you in advance._

 _They start._

" _My name is Kasumi. I am a kunoichi. I serve the Mugen Tenshin Clan – Mist Phantom Heavenly God clan – and its Master, Lord Shiden."_

 _They started back at square one. Now he was more prepared for it._

" _My sister's name is Ayane. She too serves the Mugen Tenshin Clan."_

 _From the looks of it alone, this was an uncomfortable matter for her to discuss, especially with a stranger like him._

" _For the past few years, I have been on the run from my clan for disobeying my master. A death sentences has been placed on my head."_

" _Ayane-chan…my sister, she's . . . she's been tasked by Lord Shiden, our clan leader, with my execution. Ayane-chan leads the hunters, premier enforcers of the Hajinmon Sect._

 _Just tell him what he needs to know. That's it._

" _Jake-san…"_

" _Just Jake is fine."_

" _Jake, then…" she says cautiously. "I ask that whatever is discussed here be between us and us alone. That it never leaves this room."_

 _He had no choice but to agree. Jake wanted to get a better picture of the whole thing. Or, see if there is a picture to begin with._

 _He nodded. "I promise." said the young man in a low tone._

 _He lets it hang in the air for a while, using that time to further prepare himself. Kasumi, likewise, does the same thing. She takes in deep breathes before exhaling._

 _She is ready to continue._

" _What you saw tonight is something known as a Ninpō spell, we can channel our KI or chakra inside and outside of our bodies, using them to heal quicker, fight longer, or even move faster."_

" _A spell is different, to perform certain spells, we need a 'password' or a mantra; a perfect example would be the Ku-Ji or Kuji-in, the nine syllables. I cannot tell you anything further other than these 'mantras' these chants, help in channeling KI out of our bodies. They can be used for offensive and defensive measures and as you witnessed tonight, even heal near fatal wounds."_

 _Her soft hands balled into fist, tremble on her lap, she bites her lower lip holding back whatever emotional turmoil she was having._

" _My little sister has been trying to kill me for the longest of time. The only reason I am alive today, was because of 'outside' interference."_

" _Outside interference?" he was puzzled. What did she mean by that?_

" _DOATec Security Service…"_

 _W-wait? What?_

 _DOATec, that's the name of the company he works for; that DOATec. That can't be right?_

 _Well, he can't possibly know, he works in cyber security division – they just sift through trillions of data and securing the firewall (which is Military GRADE!) and stuff to make sure – he's not entirely sure why – that…_

 _He did it for the money okay!_

 _He didn't need to know 'Why' just tell him what to do and he'll do it – no questions asked._

 _Unlike the other divisions that have gone public, CyberSec was the only private division left in the company, and the pay was better than what was on the public sect._

 _And he just happened to be the right guy for the job!_

" _You work there, don't you, Jake? – you're an employee of theirs."_

 _He nodded, confirming her statement._

 _Why did he feel guilty all of a sudden?_

" _I work Cyber Security, sifting through data, protecting company information, reinforcing their firewall, tracking possible hackers etc…"_

" _It's okay; you didn't know." She said so sullenly._

" _I don't understand what does DOATec have to do with any of this?"_

" _It's alright, Jake; I don't want to jeopardize your job, the less you know the better."_

 _That statement alone made him retract the question in his thoughts before he could even speak them. He did promise not to push too hard._

" _But I'll spare you this one little detail," she said airily. "They sponsored the world wide martial arts phenomenon, the Dead or Alive tournament."_

"… _?"_

 _Dead or Alive tournament…?_

 _This called for a small tea break, granted he wasn't all too fond of it (he still kept some in case). He had a feeling the next flow of information threatened to destroy his mind._

 _So Jake gets up from his seat, stretching his back, groaning as he did. "I'm gonna make us some tea," stated the young man._

 _He's in the kitchen now, boiling water in the kettle, he leaned himself back against the sink. A lot has happened; that was for sure, he even used that statement once. Her request from earlier:_

' _J—Jake, I . . . uh, how do I say this – C-can you look after Ayane-chan for me; just for a few days?'_

 _She even bowed, begging him; that's something you don't see a lot. People don't beg unless they're really desperate._

 _And of course he said, quote 'fine' unquote. But now that he thinks about it… he should've thought better of the situation._

 _But what made her so desperate?_

 _His thoughts was interrupted by the sound of the kettle whistling, the water was done, he set into motion of making the tea._

 _. . . ._

" _Here," said Jake, serving Kasumi the tea he just made._

" _Thank you," she said, taking the small cup in hand; Kasumi inhales the light scent of jasmine coming from the brew. She smiles._

 _They take their time, enjoying the momentary interruption, sipping on tea while each prepared their own selves for the next round of 'talking'._

 _Jake, in the mean time, felt energy slowly coming back to him; his movements weren't as sluggish, he didn't feel woozy like he did earlier, and he could stand up without looking like a newborn fawn; shaky legs and all._

" _This Dead or Alive tournament…?"_

" _You really have no idea, do you Jake?"_

 _Nope, was his exact thought; he thought it was some kind of video game – he's seen the posters and everything – that's the new rage, is all._

 _To put it short, DOA or Dead or Alive, is an international martial arts fighting tournament which brings in Martial Artist from all corners of the globe into a winner takes all tournament._

 _It's been hailed by many as the World Cup of Fighting with people praising it's diversity in various Martial Arts, as well as, it's unbiased treatment of contestants (gender-wise). Matches are not limited to 1v1._

 _To further promote the event, a one week commercial shooting on a private island in the South-Pacific is held where 9 contestants (usually female) – So much for unbiased treatment of contestants – are selected to promote the Dead or Alive tournament and sell merchandise._

 _What do they do to promote then…?_

" _What 'DO' you do to promote the event; if it's so big I don't see it needing much promotion."_

" _Oh, we just play in the sand and do stuff like volleyballs, photoshoots and have fun with the other contestants there." She answered, indifferently. Big smile stretching her lips like she was reliving a good memory._

 _To further bring out their sex appeal, gravure photographers and directors were brought in to conduct the photoshoots and gravure video shoots. That of which would be compiled in and sold as, in forms such as, Magazines, Postcards, trading cards, collector cards, photobooks, posters, and DVDs._

 _Whatever sells tickets right._

 _Currently, the top two contestants on the roster are Kasumi and Ayane; both women who 'crashed' into his apartment._

 _This was too much for his mind, in more ways than one._

 _The humanity of it was just…. He trailed off; unable to think anymore._

' _Probably explains Takehito's Collage of gravure pictures…' He thought, rubbing the bridge of his nose. The torrent of information tonight…. Again, his mind trailed off, unable to process the thought of it all._

 _Jake finishes his already cold tea. He turns to Kasumi who was already done with hers. She was looking at him, a smile gracing her features; it was a smile of gratitude. "Jake, thank you…" those words alone spoke volumes._

 _He could tell just by the rise and fall of her chest alone as she took these massive lungful of air, she was relieved._

 _Kasumi was just grateful to have someone to talk to; who for once wasn't doing it just to get her to let her guard down and kill her. Kami knows how many times the clan had tried that._

 _Their only result was of them on the ground, lying in a bloody, broken heap, groaning in pain when she was done with them._

" _I-it's nothing." Jake stuttered, caught off guard he was by that smile of hers; he's seen other women smile before, but there was something to this one that made it all the more special in some way._

" _Would you like some more tea?" he managed to say without stuttering this time, a change of subject would do him good – and make him look less of a fool like he was now._

 _She nodded, "Hai."_

 _XXXX_

 _Extract from Jake's Journal #4_

 _This is…has got to be the longest entry I've written_ _ **Ever**_ _._

 _Tonight I've decided – for reasons beyond me – to undertake the responsibility and care of a certain individual (Whose name I've decided to leave as anonymous starting now)._

 _My old man – my father – once told me a story of how he met my mother. This isn't that kind of story; let's get that one thing straight. He said and I quote, 'Under the craziest of circumstances,' unquote._

 _Being young and naïve, I couldn't really understand what he meant other than it had to be out of the norm of meeting someone._

 _He was shot, by accident, bar fight gone south – that kind of deal._

 _Why I brought that up was because of the quote 'Under the craziest of circumstances,' by my father was because… I met these girls_ _ **under the craziest of circumstances**_ _._

 _Now whether it was within all Kashima men or just me being a dumbass, we always said 'yes' at the first sign of distress._

 _My Grandfather fought the Americans in World War 2 (little did he know his daughter would end up marrying an American) on Okinawa. He told me this story about as much as I can remember it word for word._

" _There was an American Soldier, his name was Jimmy. We were the same age when we volunteered to fight for our countries; and when I looked into his eyes, I realized I wasn't looking at an enemy but…a mirror reflection of myself. I saw myself in Jimmy and he me. Our company was told to hold this hill that gave neither of us an advantage strategically. We fought for 3 days…no, was it 3 weeks? But we fought long and hard, until both sides ran out of bullets that we resorted to our fist. Now was it divine intervention, was it the Buddha – Ano Yaro – but whatever it is, it wanted me to meet Jimmy. Jimmy, before the war, wanted to be a boxer. Every day he trained, and each hit he landed on my body – and I was an Aikido practitioner then – was a hit meant to bring me down. Not to kill."_

 _I would look over my shoulder, at my grandfather, on his lap as he recounted that time he found a friend in an enemy. And I would ask him, "What did you do then, Ojiichan?"_

 _He would smile, laugh lines on his forehead, thick head of white swept back with hair cream and he'd look at me – right in the eyes – and say, "Easy, I kicked him in the balls."_

 _If there was an award for an 'I did not see that coming' moment, then it would've been awarded to Ojiichan. Rest his soul._

" _And there I was, on my back with mud climbing all the way up my ears, looking up at the clear blue skies. Jimmy was beside me, he was gripping his balls as little whimpers and breathes escaped him. Everyone else was fighting and killing each other, but us two, we were done."_

" _The first thing Jimmy said, when the fighting had stopped and both sides have had their fill of blood, he looked at me and said, "Can you help me stand?""_

" _And Yes, I answered him. I told him yes."_

 _He – Grandfather – told me, for whatever reasons beyond him, he said yes. I've only met Mr. Jimmy (last name: Olsen) a few times. All I know is shortly after the war, when the country was recovering, he moved to Japan – across the Pacific Ocean – to meet my Grandfather._

 _Mr. Jimmy and Grandfather were good men. When their country called, they answered. Korea, and then Vietnam, it was long time before Mr. Jimmy and Grandfather reunited and like old friends they embraced each other and cherished those moments._

 _Finding a friend in an enemy…_

 _(I'm sorry, I trailed off again.)_

 _Back to the thing about us Kashima men (and women) was that, we wouldn't hesitate to help someone, regardless of circumstances. My Grandfather helped and befriended and enemy and my mother helped my father when there are others who needed it the most._

 _Except that last one was just father being dramatic when it was just a flesh wound; bullet barely grazed him and he's… Never mind._

 _XXXX_

 _Jake lies on the couch, a small cover draped over his chest; Kasumi will sleep with her sister tonight but him…_

 _Sleep seemed like something that refused to take over._

 _Tonight was just….crazy, in more ways than one. Oh and he called and informed Fumiko-obaasan, telling her, "Ah, it's nothing Fumiko-obaasan, I left the back window open. Wind knocked a few things over."_

" _Tell the neighbors it's nothing to worry about; also I have to tell you that while closing the window, that last draft caught me off guard and I fell back and it slammed into the frame so hard the glass broke."_

" _Dear me, are ya alright then, Jake…?"_

" _I-I'm fine, just a little shaken; I almost fell out but thankfully I fell backwards instead of forward."_

" _Oh, alright then, Jake; I'll make some calls and see if we can get someone to fix that window for you. But in the meantime, what are you gonna do?"_

" _I've put up a garbage bag and sealed it with some duct tape, it should do until the repairman gets here. Its fine, I'm on the 9_ _th_ _floor. Nobody's gonna climb up the wall unless they're spider-man."_

' _Actually there are two people that somehow managed to do that and they're now sleeping in my room," he thought dejectedly._

 _Fumiko-obaasan appreciated the humor he brought in. It lets her know he's doing just fine. "Ah see, well then, young'un ah might as well be going then. Good night, laddie."_

 _After that he hung up. Not without saying "good night," before that is. Fumiko-obaasan was a lifesaver of his. It wouldn't sit well not to wish her a "good night," or "good day"._

 _The phone lay useless on his chest, he can't sleep; he didn't know about her – Kasumi – but safely assumed she must be sleeping with her sister's hand in hers. He reaches for the control resting on the glass table top._

 _The couch stank of iron – the scent of blood – thankfully, it was miniscule, meaning he won't have to replace but perhaps have to air out on the balcony just to get the smell off and used some cleaning spray and rag to get off the small stain._

 _It's the holiday season meaning he has time to do all those things which…which he was thankful for._

 _Nothing but game shows and soap operas as he flipped through each channel, frustration building as he did._

 _He stopped when he came upon a movie that piqued his interest. Shrugging indifferently, he raises the volume up a notch, just enough to hear the dialogue. The story looked interesting enough, and if he wasn't mistaken had won quite a few awards…?_

 _Well, win or not, he didn't care._

 _Just give him a good story with good characters and he's sold. It was a western, or neo-western – being that it took place in modern times – the scene starts off with two individuals knocking off a bank._

 _They take the lady who works the front desk hostage – it was early in the morning – the bank just started to open, the lady was here to unlock the door._

 _The two men jump her around the curb, pointing their silver-chrome pistols at her head. They roughly ushered her in, one of them shouting for her to open the safe, the woman now fearful for her life begged in tears for them to let her go._

 _She didn't have the keys or the combination to the safe. The boss did._

 _She tells them, "He'll be here soon and I suggest you fellars don't be. All you're guilty of right now is being stupid." She threw in one little remark that all but got the attention of the volatile one's attention._

" _Just leave and that's all it'll be…" she continues to run her mouth._

 _The same robber, the volatile one, he motions for the woman to come closer and says, no, dares her to repeat what she said._

" _Tell me I'm stupid again."_

 _Sensing a very strong intent to kill the woman from his partner, the other robber – the rational one – interjects himself before things got out of hand. He asks politely, "What time does the boss (Mr. Clauson) get here? Ma'am, look at me. What time does Mr. Clauson get here?"_

 _The woman answers the man, "Eight-thirty in the morning."_

 _She lets out a frightened, shaky gasp as the volatile one pulls her hair and drags her to the front door. "We're walking…." He pulls her from her desk to the door._

" _Aaaand Sit!"_

 _Fear had taken over, she can't think straight, and makes her way to the sofa they set within the small bank until the same robber yells, "Where do you think you're going? SIT ON THE FLOOR!"_

 _He aims the six shot silver revolver at her, his hand was shaking with rage, the woman gets down on the floor while his partner looks on._

 _Things were looking up as Jake caught himself getting more and more immerse in the movie before…._

 _BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!_

 _Oh, god that alarm clock, he swears…_

 _The thing was loud, he heard it all the way in the living room; he groans. "Ugggh…!" Reluctantly, Jake swings his legs over the edge. They touch the cold floor and shiver shoots up his spine._

" _Ah, crap." He sighed. "I forgot to give her the painkillers in case…" maybe he – Jake – was being a douche here but, a small price to pay for the damage to his back window, and for him to have to sleep in the living room._

 _Jake decides to get the medicine first, the thought, 'let them suffer,' in his mind as he made his way to the kitchen. He searched the cabinets, remembering that's where he put it. He found it._

 _Popping two pills into his hand, Jake takes a glass and fills it with water. He stops to see how far the film had progressed while he was busying himself getting painkillers._

" _Not much…" the TV now showed the two men outside a farmhouse, one complaining (he assumes was the volatile one) about why can't his partner just kill the skinny ass cows on his farm and make a decent steak out of them._

 _The other retorted, "Yeah well, while you were busy in jail, I was busy looking after mama, so you can go fuck yourself."_

 _Oh, so they were brothers. He quickly set off to do what he came to do earlier._

 _Opening the door quietly into his room, he spotted Kasumi lying on one end of the bed – Sachi used to stay with him so he got a two person bed – she was sleeping soundly. The alarm was off, which led him to assume was Kasumi's doing._

 _He was just about to lean down to place both water and pills on the nightstand beside the bed – on Ayane's side – when…_

" _AUGH…!"_

 _He tumbles down, glass of water spilling onto the girl, as he fell backward on his back side._

" _E-eh, what's going on?!"_

 _He was outside of his room now, ice pack to his head; he had to get out as Kasumi had to change her sister's now wet t-shirt. Jake's face heated up a bit as the picture Ayane's wet form in an oversized black T-shirt, how it clung to her frame, outlined her nipples showing she wasn't wearing anything underneath._

 _Jake shakes his head to get the lewd image out of his head._

 _He makes his way back into the living room, onto the couch, the movie was on but his mood had been dampened (unashamed pun) by the events just a little while ago. But still, he watches it. What else was he gonna do tonight?_

 _Kasumi comes out a little while later from his bedroom. "Jake…" she said cautiously._

" _Yeah," he answers lowly._

 _Quietly like the kunoichi she proclaims to be, Kasumi plops down on the couch next to Jake. A little too close for this taste, their thighs were touching._

" _Are you okay?"_

" _Head hurts but I'll live; you're sister?"_

 _Kasumi gives a small nod, "She's fine, and thank you for the painkillers."_

 _They both turn their attention to the television where the same film was showing. It showed the brothers in a casino, the older brother – presumably the rational robber – exchanging the money they stole for chips._

 _Kasumi talks, saying to Jake, "I want to thank you, once again, for agreeing to take care of my sister."_

 _It's just the damn Kashima blood in him on which Jake blames for making him say 'yes' to two strangers – one that knocked him out with a phone book (of which he was more than happily disposed off) – that crashed into his humble abode one night._

 _And while there were a great many things unknown, Jake felt that it was not in his position to pry. "But, look after your sister, what do I do? Are there any specifics?"_

" _Yes, there are, quite a few actually." She said._

" _Just give me the short version."_

-0000-

"Look it's just…." He trailed off. Nothing was coming out; he couldn't and didn't know what to tell them. It ate at him now because two pairs of eyes were staring intently at him; Koyuki-san had excused herself quietly and was standing just out of ear shot, her smart pressed to her right ear as she twittered happily.

"I just…can't allow that, okay." He choked out.

 _There are others that are hunting me; others that will use Ayane to get to me…_

Sorry, Kasumi… _'Guess I already failed that first objective…'_

"Jake?" called out Takehito, a minute of silence without any word from their friend left them wondering as to why is he so adamant on not letting Sakura do the fashion show; nothing wrong with it right?

It was never in Kasumi's position to tell him what to do; just what he needed to do without causing any restrictions that could affect his life but…

"Hide in plain sight…" he muttered softly in a tone so low it was lost to the crowd in the center.

Wait…

Takehito and Yuri think she's just a really good look-a-like. Wouldn't the same work for the crowd; surely they wouldn't think that the real Ayane would do this kind of thing (not that he know as he hadn't the pleasure of asking).

Use their _otaku-ism_ against them! GENIUS!

While that was one problem solved, the question of the _others_ lingered and casted a dark overcast over his thoughts. In this crowd, the possibility of nabbing a person weren't slim to none; in fact they were the opposite.

Call it movie logic or watching too many Hollywood movies, but find the circuit breaker and cut the lights to this place and it's gonna be chaos as people would start to grow restless in the dark and in such cramp space anything can happen.

Jake calmed himself down, three practiced breaths, allowing the thoughts to sink in. Then turning to the couple before him said, "Fine…"

"Fine, what?"

"Fine, she can do it…"

Another thing is, while she was staying with him temporarily – emphasis on temporarily – didn't mean he can or should dictate how she did things other than respect the rules and…try to adhere to them.

Takehito and Yuri gave each other the 'well that was weird' shrug before the bluenette Yuri with light blue highlights pulled (dragged) the unsuspecting Sakura (Ayane) away to get ready.

"Wait? Fashion show? What fashion show?" asked a clearly confused Ayane; she had listened, seen the little outburst but she was all but in the conversation – she hated that. Not being included.

There was nothing much she could do about it. She didn't know these people and she clearly did not want to get involved in business that wasn't hers.

Sakura-chan – convincing Ayane-sama, that's all she heard before the rest of the talk was tuned out but of course randomly tuned in when Jake let out his little outburst. Now she was being dragged to parts unknown by this doujinshi artist.

She fought out of the vice around her wrist, "Eh? Sakuracchi, what's wrong?" asked Yuri.

" _Eto_ …what's this about a fashion show?" she asked, sounding as timid as possible.

"Ah, weren't you listening, Sakuracchi?!"

Of course she wasn't, concluded the bluenette. "I signed us up for a cosplay Fashion show, the theme of which is Dead or Alive; now come! We have to hurry!"

With that said, Yuri took a hold of Sakuracchi's hand and was dragging her through the crowd to the dressing room. This time, Sakura offered little protest and just went with the flow.

The stage for the fashion show was located in the West Exhibition Hall which layout consists of four internal halls surrounding a central two-tiered atrium. Halls one and two occupy the first floor, and are each equipped with a single meeting room, two show offices and seven meeting rooms. If necessary, they can be merged with glass-roofed atrium area to maximize all available exhibition space. Halls three and four are individually smaller than the first floor halls, as the rest of the space not taken up by the atrium's upper area is largely the rooftop exhibition – excerpt taken from Tokyo Big Site page.

" _And now, the moment you've all been waiting for. Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to COMIKET's Winter Cosplay Fashion SHOOOOOOW!"_

Jake held his breath. It was all that he could do at the moment, the lights dimmed, and music filled the air ere the gasp and cheers of the crowd. The first model took to the stage, hands at her waist as the trotted on to the front.

The mass below converged to the front as a single flood, blocked by the guard rails of barricades set to keep them from getting on stage. Five to Six, large, barrel-chested hunks keeping them at bay like sentinels; their intimidating disposition like a raging river they dare not cross.

A small feeling of relief washed over Jake, he breathes, sighing a loud "Hah~".

Takehito nudged his _pal_ with his elbow, "Pretty cool, huh." He yelled over the noise just so he can be heard.

"Yeah…" he said with little trepidation in his voice.

"They've three categories," explained Takehito while holding up three fingers to emphasis his point. "This is the Summer Festival stage, next is the Christmas Stage, followed lastly by Hot Escape which is the swimsuits category and after that is the closing ceremony where they all come onto stage to greet the fans."

Jake nodded. It was just like any other fashion show – not that he's seen any – made sense.

"Isn't that Ayane!?"

"Yeah, it looks like her!"

His heart thumped in his chest at the mention of her name, "Shit…" he muttered. Did someone find out?!

Biting his lips, Jake just hoped and prayed that someone aside from whoever said that wouldn't notice.

"Nah, it's probably just a look-a-like…" dismissed someone else. A mere coincidence or an act of God, but he was grateful nonetheless.

The gasp like waves lapping on the sand rippled through the crowd, and a crescendo of claps descended upon them as Sakura stood on the stage. And Jake found at lost for words. This ethereal beauty, just a few days ago was closer to death – a finger push away at that – was standing there.

Jake detected a slight tremble in her form. Is she nervous?

"YOU'RE THE BEST!" someone from the crowd shouted. Then more and more cried out their admiration and sang her praises.

Sakura smiled, dressed in the most beautiful _yukata_ he'd ever seen, white with purple and orange flower designs printed on it. An orange _obi_ tied in a _chōchō_ knot, black sandals with purple straps adorned her feet, and a purple flower _kanzashi_ crowned her head.

Her headband was gone. Which he thought was weird seeing as she always had it on almost all the time – as much as he's focused on _it_ that is which is not very much.

" _That concludes our first stage of our Summer Festival theme. But don't anywhere yet, folks! Our beautiful angels take the stage once more, later on, and in the spirit of the holidays… Have you been naughty or have you been nice, because Santa Claus's Sexy Helpers are coming to town!"_

-0000-

Jake excused himself from the others to take a call. Him and three other guys he met that were in the crowd cheering their girlfriends who were participating on. He saw the name on the screen reading Caller ID: Himiko.

Two minutes of pushing and shoving, he found a spot underneath a flight of stairs that puts him out of the pushing and shoving match going on within the massive herd all headed for the exits.

" _Y-yeah – Hi, little sister."_ He answered.

" _Where have you been, I've been trying to reach you for the last 30 minutes?"_ She sounded concern but managed to regain control over her emotions – she's been getting a lot moodier lately, judging from her tone every time they spoke – then saying a proper hello to her brother.

" _Hi, Jake nii-san," said Himiko, now a lot more in control of her emotions._

" _Why is it noisy over there? Are you having a party, and you didn't tell me!"_

" _You're in Europe!"_

" _But still, didn't you think it might've been polite to…I don't know, tell me."_

" _You're insane…so what if I told you?!"_

" _Doesn't matter, I'm your little sister and that's all the reason you ever need! Now where are you?!"_

" _Comiket, with some friends, at the Tokyo Big Site."_

"… _."_

" _Cat got your tongue."_

" _N-no, it's just that you haven't been to one of those after your first year."_

" _Not like I had any other choice."_ Especially not with a girl whose actions are as crazy as they come. Yuri would've sent Takehito – whether he liked it or not – to come get him.

Jake groans, now he needs to calm down. _"What is it? Why are you calling and if it's about those pictures, I'm still working on it, the modem needs to be replaced so for the moment I have no internet."_

" _No, no, that's not what I was calling to talk to you about!"_

His faced soured. There's only one thing or rather, one person that Himiko could be talking about. _"_ _ **He**_ _called?"_

Jake felt his sister nod and responded with, _"Yeah, 2 days ago. He's in Liberia."_

" _I don't care…"_

" _Jake it's been 12 years now –"_

" _I don't care!"_ His face was flushed with anger. _"He's in the hospital, 20 foot fall. Doctor says he's gonna be okay but they can't keep him there. I told them he can stay at my place in Sweden – just thought I'd let you know."_

" _Guess you're not going to here for New Years, huh?"_

"… _.."_

" _What's your plan?"_

" _I'll be flying home in a few days, Sweden that is, but I'll be making a quick stop in Liberia to pick him up. Jonah and I talked about it and we agreed to let him stay at our place. Plus, I think Jonah's just glad to finally meet dad after hearing so much about him and I'm sure dad will be happy to meet him too and another surprise._

" _Well, you do what you gotta do, at the end of the day he's still our dad, asshole or not, and wait…what surprise?"_

" _I'll tell you when it's New Years."_

" _But you're not – Hello? Hello!"_

 _*Dial tone*_

She hung up on him!

He smirked, "Damn it…" said Jake, the smirk on his lips stretching into a grin. He laughed.

Himiko hadn't changed one bit, which was a good thing, add to the fact that it is her husband now that has to deal with her antics; can't say he felt sorry for the guy – he _wanted_ to marry her after all!

She was always the fighter, more so than him – in their younger days, she was the hot-blooded Japanese-American queen of her High School: _Hanakago Kita – Flower Basket of the North High School._

Her antics had him and his mother at her school almost on a daily basis – those were hard times, education was important but money was the problem. There had to be a compromise, they had only enough money for one of them to go to a private school.

While the other…

"Let Onii-chan go to that private school, mama!"

Needles to say it was both shocking yet touching at the same time. Such a small being already leaps and bounds in her way of thinking. "Onii-chan needs to show bad papa's family that he is not dumb!" Relationships with Mr. Brad Jackson's family – their father – were on _rocky_ grounds.

Especially with how his mother – their grandmother – treated their mother degrading her, using racial slurs against her. "Ya killed mah husband, ya commie!"

 _Grandma_ – that tasted like vinegar in his mouth – lost her husband, Jake's grandfather, when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. He served as a sailor. To this day, _Grandma_ still held a grudge against the _Nips_ as she sometimes called his mother.

After he was born, it only seemed to get worse. She'd try to drive a wedge between them by telling him things – untrue things – about his mother. She had connections to hospitals, when she found out mom was pregnant with him, she made arrangements to have her placed in the best rooms, the best doctors, she paid thousands of dollars.

But they weren't for his mother but for him.

Mom never wanted to leave Japan. Here was her home, and she always had a bad feeling about moving to America. The family migrated to America in 1997 carrying with them the grandchild of Katherine Jackson: Jake 'Akira' Jackson.

They lived on a farm in Odessa, Texas.

Life was good at first as the Jacksons were seemingly very welcoming of Irene Jackson (Nee Kashima). But still, there was something deeply unsettling about all of it as Irene Jackson shook the hand of Katherine Jackson.

"Welcome to the family," she said with great, big smile on her face.

It wasn't good, day in and day out, Katherine Jackson was coming up with things left and right to get her son Brad Jackson to get mad at his wife. It first started with her – apparently – disobeying her.

She told him, grandma might as well been an actor cause she sure can fake a heart attack.

Nothing she did was ever good enough. "Shit!" or "Leave already!" were the things that his mother heard on a daily basis. But Irene Jackson planted her feet firmly and kept on going.

Then Himiko was born, as an act of defiance Irene Jackson named the baby daughter Himiko Jackson.

"Where are we going?"

She was frantic. Suit cases lay open on the bed. She was just chucking clothing in without folding them. "We're going on a trip, Jake."

"We'll pick up Himiko on the way. Mr. Olsen – you remember Grandpa's friend right? – he's coming to pick us up."

He nodded, "What about dad?"

"Dad's….dad's busy now. He'll meet us at the lake in three days. Now hurry up and pack, your sister gets out in half an hour!"

….

"Lord, what did they do to you!" he was exasperated.

Jimmy Olsen looked upon the face of Irene Jackson (nee Kashima) and saw nothing but despair. "Hello, Olsen-jii-san." She hugged the man, tighter than any daughter embracing her god father. She was shaking, crying into his shoulder as quietly as she could.

Jake sat in the red, four-seater pickup truck that Mr. Jimmy owned.

"Let's get you home, Irene-chan, your _real_ home." Mr. Jimmy told her and she nodded.

He was 12 when he left America.

But so did the sins of his father. For 3 years – 13, 14 and 15 – the _brainwashing_ did by his Grandmother over that side came to bear; it all started with the kids at school picking on him for being an _hāfu_.

He screamed, he kicked and he cursed her. He hated it here! Hated it so much!

Why did we leave!

Dad loves me! I hate you!

And through it all, she gritted her teeth and took it all. Took it in strides and she never stopped loving him. By the grace of god, he turned around – Jake turned around! As his mother described it, "One day you just woke up and I saw my son again…" with tears in her eyes as she embraced him, kissed his head and stroked his hair.

"Mom…"

"Yes…"

"Mom…"

"Yes baby…"

"M-mom…"

"I'm here, baby….I'm here. We're alright….it's all going to be okay now."

That of course wasn't true but it wasn't too far from the truth either. A couple of times, Katherine Jackson had come to take what's rightfully hers back: Jake Jackson.

She however didn't get past the front gates where she stared down the business end of Mr. Olsen's Model 99.

"Get off my friends property!"

"Oh, Olsen-san, uh…is everything alright?" A neighbor saw the convoy parked outside and wondered what was going on. He saw Mr. Olsen, a very respectable man, pointing a rifle at a harmless looking old lady.

"Just peachy," he said in English. " _Daijobu da_ , Hiroto-san," Mr. Olsen waved off his concerns and told him everything was alright.

"Oh, _Souka…_ " Hiroto-san nodded.

Mr. Olsen smiled. "Now, Ma'am if you can kindly please get off my friends property!"

"I have come here for my Grandson, you brute. Jake Jackson is his name."

"Ain't no Jackson here, Ma'am."

"Yes, I'm aware of that but I'm looking for a woman – a thief – I got this address from my son. She's taken something from me. Something I'm responsible for, for the past 12 years: My Grandson, he would've been this tall with brown –"

"I know what the boy looks like!" He said feeling as if this harmless old lady in front of him were mocking his intelligence.

"Ah, yes, good then. Now, if you can please tell him his grandmother – Katherine Jackson – is here to pick him up. Thank you." She smiled.

But Mr. Olsen, he frowned, and glued to his place with the rifle trained on them. For an old man in his 90's, he was really spry for his age.

"No. I ain't telling no one nothing you hear me, Kathy!" He said. "Now you go on and get back in your cabby and go back to whatever watering hole you crawled out of and you stay there! Don't come back!"

"How uncouth! You…you brute!" she was speechless.

"Ya tormented the girl and _her_ family long enough! No more!" Mr. Olsen shook his head. "Not when Ol' Jimmy still got some life in him! You hear me! Now go on get outta here!"

Brad Jackson came up to his mother, getting in between his mother and the 90 year old man with a rifle. "Come on, mom. Let's go…" he said in a soft voice.

"Go on, son. Take your mother home. We'll settle this in court."

"Mother…!"

They all turned to the new voice.

It was Irene.

"Irene, get back inside!"

"His name is not Jake Jackson, mother." Mr. Olsen had a smile on his face at that moment. He saw that strong little girl that stood up for her _dada_ when he had jokingly referred to his friend as a "Stupid Idiot."

"Otosan is not a stupid idiot! You're the stupid idiot, Stupid Idiot!" she said in her loudest voice yet with a small pout on her lips. Then she stuck her tongue out at him, "Baka Olsen-jii-chan!"

He laughed because her voice was so squeaky. He called her, " _Nezumi_ -chan," meaning 'Little Mouse' or so what it meant with the little bit of Japanese Takehaya Kashima taught him.

"It's Kashima. Jake Kashima!"

The look on the old lady's face was pure bliss for her. Seeing that she had struck a chord deep within her, Katherine Jackson's black heart, the old lady huffed pitifully one last time before turning.

"Come, Brad!" she snapped.

Brad Jackson turned to look at the love of his life one last time. Her hands balled into fist, shaking on each side, her eyes wet and her face tear streaked.

Husband and wife shared one final glance. Irene held her up her right hand showing the wedding band, the golden band, wrapped around her ring finger. She slips it off with little difficulty and places it on the ground, shedding a lone tear, it's not his fault he chose his family over theirs, Irene told herself.

"I'm sorry…" said Irene with her voice cracking and her eyes moist.

Brad Jackson only nodded.

"Send me the court date," he said trying to salvage whatever face he had left when he was, in fact, hurting on the inside.

Soon, they left.

And Irene Kashima having endured a lifetime of hurt and grief cried for the first time.

"Let Onii-chan go to that private school and Himiko will go to a public school!"

"H-Himiko…!"

"Mama, let Onii-chan go to a private school and he will study hard and make you proud, and Olsen-ojiichan, and ojiichan and…and…who else is there?"

"Himiko promises to study hard too!"

When the divorce was finalized, Irene moved her two children to the city in hopes of starting over. She took up a job working as a nurse in Tokyo General – the same job where she met her now ex-husband.

The name Irene was coined by Mr. Jimmy Olsen who named her after his late wife who died shortly after in an automobile accident just after they shipped him off to boot camp. He carries a picture of her in his left breast pocket with him at all time.

Himiko was adamant on wanting her _onii-chan_ to go to college. She suffered from speech impediment which has her referring to herself in a third person perspective stemming from the various traumas of being caught in arguments between her mother and father's family.

Whenever they argued, she would cover her ears, squeeze her eyes as tightly as possible and run; it didn't matter where she went but more so than often Jake found her hiding underneath the sink.

He followed the little whimpers in the kitchen, "Himiko-chan…" open the double door cabinet underneath the sink and she was there. She would look up, eyes red and puffy from all the tears and voice hoarse from crying. No one even bothered looking for her afterwards. His mom would shut herself upstairs on the balcony. His dad would take his truck and go to town. His grandmother would just sip on her tea out on the porch – thinking about it now she must've been smiling throughout the whole argument – everyone except him.

"Onii-chan is the man of the house now!" Himiko proclaimed loudly in her tiny voice. Her eyes so full of innocence and determination and glassy on the verge of crying; she wanted him to succeed. Needed him to succeed!

And in the end he agreed to it, "Alright then, Himiko." He said to her patting her little head of soft blonde curls. "Onii-chan will go to that private school."

The smile she had alone was worth it. He'd do everything to make her proud and his mother too. When he started his first year in Azabu, Himiko in the meantime had asked his mom to enlist her in martial arts classes.

Irene was reluctant at first as Himiko wasn't what one might consider as a natural born fighter. In fact she was the opposite of that. What made her want to get in the martial arts in the first place?

"So I can protect mommy and onii-chan!" she said to Irene Kashima, a smile played across her lips as she patted the 14 year. "And who's going to hurt me, Himiko-chan?"

"Bad people like granny and daddy!"

"Himiko…" her husband wasn't a bad man, he just made bad decisions. She tried telling her that but decided against it as it would be too much to explain to the little girl. Irene wanted them to have a good relationship with their father at least; but sometimes even she doubted that would happen.

His heart is set. That's all she can say to him.

"Alright but…" the deal was that Himiko had to score first place – a tall order, she knew but – in all her exams.

So it didn't come as a surprise that day, after his first uneventful day at _Azabu_ Private High, that Himiko came bounding from somewhere toward him, enveloping him in a tight hug that literally stole his breath away.

"Teach Himiko, Onii-chan!" The sheer desperation in her voice told him she wanted something but not from him.

"Martial arts class…?" he stared at her, eyebrows raised and his face was morphed into a confused and skeptical look.

"Let's see…" he hummed.

Himiko went as to make a list of all the different types of martial arts she had set her eyes on. "Judo, taekwondo, aikido, muay-thai?" do they have muay-thai in Japan? And that was just the icing on the top.

Her eyes were pleading. She had her Mathematics textbook and her notebook, laid out on the table. Jake saw his mother standing by the kitchen doorway, a smile gracing her lips, as Jake shot her a confused look.

Irene only shrugged which caused him to frown.

"Alright, so you use this formula to get the answer, got it?"

"Got it!" she said.

But things started getting more hectic the more of their lives began to fall in place again. His mother worked extra hours at the hospital because of the shortage of staff. He stayed for extra lessons at school. Himiko…Himiko got the worse of it perhaps. She was home more so that the two of them – Jake and mother – she'd cook, fried eggs and rice or whatever she can find, whatever is edible. She'd bath, then study on her own.

Before either of them knew it, Himiko had gained a new confidence – they never saw it coming – she stopped referring to herself in the third person, was also starting to enter the rebellious stage and seemingly dabbled in delinquency.

Jake let out a sharp breath through his nose, "Maybe she did change only I wasn't there to witness it." He told himself. Kashima Himiko, she went from the timid little girl with various social complications to being a delinquent in High School, and now into a responsible, charming young woman.

"I better get back to the others."

-0000-

"So what's up, guys?"

"Jake," Takehito and the young man fist bumped. "What took you, man?"

"Himiko just called I had to take it."

"Really, how is she doing?"

"Doing fine, she's headed back to Sweden now." He left out the part where she had to make a quick trip to Liberia to pick up their father before flying back to Sweden.

"I never really met Himiko. What is she like?" asked Yuri, curious about the topic of Jake's sister.

"I met her like once, I think. It was last year or the year before. She's a fashion designer, has her own brand. She's up there with some of the elites, right Jake?"

"Kashima Himiko! That's your sister?!" said one of the guys he and Takehito met in the crowd. Jake furrowed his brow. How did this man know? "No wonder your name, Kashima, sounded so familiar!" He went on, excited like a child whose found a new toy.

Jake nodded to the young man, "Wow, dude that's cool! I saw her in an interview on TV once. Man she's smoking hot!"

"Hey!"

"Sorry." The man bowed his head and apologized, smiling sheepishly.

Jake however wasn't amused by it. "Where's Aya – Sakura! Where's Sakura?" he asked after noticing the absence of purple hair in the group.

Yuri answered, "She's still changing. That's why we're waiting here." pointing a thumb behind her to a set of curtains that parted to reveal _Kirishima Sakura_ emerging from behind. She had her purple hair tied into a ponytail.

She was wiping her face with a tissue having washed off the light makeup they applied on her before letting her walk on stage. Ayane looked up, "Sorry, I'm late." She smiled.

Yuri waved her apology off, "Don't worry, we were just talking while we waited."

"So get this, Daigo here knows this place downtown which is really nice and he has invited us to go there for drinks. Wanna come?"

A very tempting invitation indeed, it might be a nice change of scenery considering they've been home for the most part of the holiday. And she could really use a night out.

"Yeah sure," said Ayane.

"Oh goodie, Sakura said yes! Now Jake," she turns to him now.

"She's not going anywhere without me."

"Ooh, a romantic…" cooed Yuri.

"No. I just don't trust you two, that's all." He shot them both an accusatory glance.

They laughed.

-0000-

"So tell me, how was your 15 minutes of fame?"

The group, thinking it was still a little too early to go drinking, decided to hang out at the waterfront to kill some time before going drinking. They went off in pairs, all promising to meet back at the same spot.

"I can't think of a more disgusting job that walking on that stage in nothing but your underwear. How is that a job?!"

It was funny coming from her because she was the one posing for gravure photographers and prancing around on the beach like a magical pixie horse while sleazy directors shot these _snuff_ films and sold both picture and video as merchandise to promote some fighting tournament.

He chuckles a little, "Pot meet kettle."

"I'm not a whore!" she answered.

"I never said you were," he retorted.

"Ugh, I can never…I feel so itchy especially after being leered at by hormonal teenagers and lonely men."

 _Ouch!_

"How can women whore themselves like that?"

Yikes, she just _insulted_ about every real life model that actually walks on stage in nothing but their underwear. Consider herself lucky she didn't have that as a full time job seeing as she was actually appalled by something of such a minor scale.

"First off, apologize to every model in the world for calling their jobs whoring. And secondly, you volunteered (albeit unknowingly) and those girls weren't real models. They were cosplayers just looking to _strut_ their stuff."

"And maybe some of them did actually use it as a platform to jumpstart their career in modeling."

"Why and how do you know so much?"

"My sister…" he answered straightly.

"Oh," Ayane nodded.

"It's funny because you don't seem like the type to be bothered by these things. I thought maybe as _Kunoichi_ you'd be alright with being seen in nothing but your underwear and you also to promote a fighting tournament go on a week or two long trip on some private island and pose for photographers and stuff who take your pictures, print'em and sell'em as merchandize and not to mention the gravure videos too that fetch a high price if it's someone pretty like you."

"What?"

"What?"

"You just said I'm pretty."

"Yeah, I think you are pretty. You're the most beautiful girl I've met and I don't even know why I'm telling you this."

Ayane allows a smile to play across her lips. She leans in, standing on her toes bringing her lips close to his ear, letting her breath caress against his warm skin.

"I know I'm pretty, Jake. But…telling me won't get you anywhere with Me." she pushes herself away from him giggling.

Jake and Ayane were some ways away from the other pair. As the sun set across the horizon, a couple motorboats droning by and a ferry honking as it returned to pier with tourist onboard waving at the young couple who waved back promptly.

"Promoting a tournament and getting paid is one thing but promoting nothing and getting paid are two different things."

"Same difference to me, you still get paid and you still stand in your underwear."

"And like I said it's to promote a tournament."

Jake brought up his hands in an 'Okay, okay!' manner. "Calm down."

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Shoot."

"Why haven't you left yet?"

In the distance, Tokyo tower was starting to light up as the sky was repainted in myriad of purple and orange.

She smiles. She expected the question to come up sooner or later. "Hmm…" she hums playfully. "Yeah, why haven't I?" tapping her chin and twisting her face into a thoughtful frown.

"When she – Kasumi – told you to look after me, she didn't think to tell you of the debt I'd owe you."

"Debt?" he repeated with eyebrows scrunched in a frown. "And how do you…"

"Just because I'm asleep doesn't mean I can't hear you and besides your apartment isn't that big so I'm gonna hear some things, Jake."

He just stood there incredulous. What can't she do?!

"Go on, what's this about a debt?"

"Yes, a debt. For taking care of me, I'm now indebted to you. So until that debt is squared, I am not going anywhere."

Images of a bloody Ayane with a knife handle sticking out her gut and cuts covering her body popped into mind. His mind quickly reeled and he backed away on instinct alone.

Jake pointed a 'stop right there' finger her direction.

"Whoa, I'm not getting stabbed just so you could – hold that thought." His phone started vibrating in his pocket. He stopped halfway through his sentence to answer it.

 _Called ID: Mom_

Jake answers.

" _Hey, mom what's up?"_

" _Guess what?"_

" _Head nurse had that heart attack?"_

" _Ha Ha very funny but no; though I wished that were the case but alas."_

She was as cheery as ever. Which was a good thing, after the divorce, following the little financial troubles that followed after his mother withdrew into this shell she constructed around herself.

She was quiet, talked on occasions but had no life or spark behind her eyes whatsoever. The toll of _things_ had taken on her showing the cracks in her armor. It took months before she even spoke again much less smiled.

Even after so many years it still showed how those things had changed her. Changed all of them!

It's nice to see her recovering so well. Irene Kashima was an emotional wreck following the divorce. It was a good thing he had his Godfather Jimmy Olsen that looked after him when his mother couldn't.

" _Okay, what is it because I'm….busy here."_

" _You're not gonna tell your dear mother about how you spent your Christmas in your apartment sulking because nobody couldn't come for Christmas gathering, sniff sniff."_

" _Quit acting like a ten year old already jeez!"_

" _Oh, fine. You're no fun. I want my baby boy back! Take this adult and toss him in a vat of acid and give me my baby back, Kami-sama!"_

" _I am Here you know that."_

" _Hmph, fine I'll get to the point. I'm coming back for New Years, yay!"_

" _. . . . ."_

" _Jake? Son, are you there? Jake – Hello, Earth-to-Jake! Are you still there Houston! Hello!"_

Line drops.

Now, oddly enough Jake felt no sense of panic whatsoever welling up in his chest.

Because why should he? Alright, in Anime, Manga or Light Novel (even Visual Novels), scenarios like these end with the character hanging up on their parent(s). And while, yes, he did hang up on his parents, but it wasn't on purpose.

This is why he hated these touch screen smart phones electronic companies keep spitting out each year. They always seem to get worse than the last one. Years ago, there was a guy that made smart phones (some would say he was the original creator of today's smart phones), his name was Jobs. And they were good - his phones worked great - and that was around when Jake was 13 or 14 maybe younger, and he always thought of it as cool if he could have one.

Now that he does have one it seems more troublesome than it really is. After the death of Mr. Jobs, other companies began working on their own smart phones, trying to cash in on Job's original ideas, but like they say, the Sequel is never as good as the Original. Some phones sold well while some flopped. While the newer generation of phones had their uses but the negatives outnumber the positives, with each new model the companies keep producing - and his company is all about keeping up with the times - the list of negatives just keeps growing.

Employees at his company are always urged to trade in their company paid smart phones on week before official release of the new generation. Mind you, they get their phones from one company, Sony.

Jake had no gripe with the applications installed, barring the Social Media Apps. Seriously, who wants to spend all their time taking pictures of every little thing and post them online.

He never understood any of it. A photographer has a hard time finding a picture perfect shot, while a school girl can go in a bathroom and take up 10 snaps a minute. WHAT THE HELL IS SO INTERESTING ABOUT TAKING PICTURES IN A BATHROOM?!

 _'I know what a bathroom looks like! I don't need to be reminded of the place I go to answer nature's call!'_

But he did have one big _fucking_ bone to pick with the people who worked on the practical applications of the New Generation Smart Phones.

For starters, why is the screen so _fucking_ sensitive?!

He didn't even do much except press the phone closer to his ear and then his phone disconnects his call. Like... _What the Hell?!_

Sighing, Jake turns off the screen and pockets the _bloody_ device into his pant pocket. While he was busy on his phone earlier, Ayane wandered ahead of him possibly to rejoin the others.

Jake goes after her, walking pass a young high school couple being interviewed. He paid them no mind and continued his trek after his wayward ninja girl.

On a side note, about the couple being interviewed, the girlfriend was face-palming herself while her boyfriend spoke into the microphone. Funny, it reminded him of a meme he saw on the internet once. _What was it called again?_

Well, he didn't have time to ponder such things as his ninja girl was pulling further and further ahead of him.

Jake calls out, "Ayane, wait up!"

* * *

 _ **A/N: This had to be my longest chapter yet. It had been an arduous yet thrilling experience. And I'd like to extend a thanks to those of you that have followed and reviewed this series. You have my deepest heartfelt thanks. Thank You.**_

 _ **And I'd like to address again these that have left me with these words. Words that have kept me going and I thank you all.**_

 _ **So to start off with:**_

 _ **Yaboioverthar: To answer that statement of this not getting much reviews I'd like to say is, I don't control or tell people what to read. We're all free to read what we want. Reviews they come and they go like people. What I write might not appeal to them as much. But thank you for your kind words. A chapter does come regardless if there are reviews or not only very slow.**_

 _ **Purple Kunoichi: Wow man, just wow. Four reviews all in the same day, that's gotta be some record. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I know original characters aren't that big even in FF but it brings me joy to know that you enjoyed it regardless. As for the reviews you left, first off about the dark figure: I can't just reveal it like that. I gotta tease it right then when the time is right... As for the bonding part: They are living together, can't have them alienating from each other now can we.**_

 _ **Dragoon Swordsman: Military training against Ninja's, I think we both know how that's gonna end. Case and point, the Interpol Special Tactics Team massacre in Ninja Assassin. All that tech, all those guns and not a single on of them even so much as grazed a single ninja. On the other hand, Ayane is kunoichi after all. She can't just blow up at embarrassing stuff like fanfic and all, would go against the creed after all.**_

 _ **This was a long overdue chapter. But I got it out and I'll still be going over the previous chapters, correcting stuff and adding and stuff. You know, writer stuff.**_

 _ **A little update on this chapter. Currently suffering writers block. I have written and re-written the 6th chapter about a dozen times yet I just feel like they're not good. Will Keep working on it. Wish me luck . . .**_


	6. A Short Teaser & Announcement

_**Chapter 5.5 – Short Teaser**_

 _ **The Momiji Chronicles**_

"Where do I begin…" she hummed, absentmindedly. Tapping the silver pen to her chin, tilting her head; the blank page on the diary laid before her.

Strong but gentle arms surround her from behind, the owner bringing his mouth close to her left ear, his breath caressing the outer shell. She tilts her head a little, allowing him more access, he starts covering her neck with light, feather kisses.

Momiji sighs, blissfully.

Goose flesh start forming, she turns her head, bringing their faces together, their nose brushing briefly.

" _Tadaima, ore no Yome –_ I'm home, my wife." He said, huskily.

" _Okaerinasai_ , _Anata –_ Welcome back, my love." She said, flushed.

Their lips press together, gently. She lets the pen, in her hand, rest on the blank page. Her hands slide up his chest, to his shoulder, wrapping around his neck.

Jeremy 'Jay' Hawkins slid his tongue forward, prodding and parting her lips, Momiji was more than happy to accept. Enthusiastically welcoming him in, their bodies in intimate embrace, bringing her hands through Jeremy's hair; the kiss is hot and full of want.

Jeremy felt the need to breath. Likewise, Momiji's breathing grew labored as they melted in their embrace.

Finally separating, the couple gasped for air, though the taste of Momiji's lips still remained on his lips.

"You still working on that diary?" said Jeremy, breathless.

Momiji gazed into Jeremy's eyes, smiling before slowly lowering his head towards her own. "Yeah," she says, with her lips ghosting a few inches from his. As their foreheads touched and their noses brushed against each other, they let their lips interlock once again.

Jeremy smirked, devilishly. Separating to say something, he gazes into her hazel brown eyes, and he thought – at that moment – thought about all the things they've been through. The hardships they've faced.

Leaning in once again, capturing her lips in his, he tells her, "I might have _something_ that might help."

She yelps at feeling herself suddenly lifting off the chair, Jay's hands encircling her smooth thighs, gripping them from underneath. Her first instinct is to wrap her knees around his waist.

They both shared a small laugh.

The first entry to her diary would be:

" _It all started about 2 years ago . . ."_

* * *

 ** _A/N: As the title says, this is a short teaser for either: A future chapter, or an upcoming project, neither of which I can confirm or deny of such possibilities without a Secretary's Approval. To clear somethings up, a while back, I wrote a ninja gaiden fanfic which is - to be completely honest - dead. I suffered a writer's block on that series which never recovered and that project has been on life support. The OC, Jeremy 'Jay' Hawkins is from my NG fanfic, Suicide Squad._**

 ** _My first agenda on the list is, Suicide Squad will be picked up once again, in case some of you readers who have read that are reading this, with a different title. If any of you have any other title to call it, please PM me and I will take a look. This time, the whole supernatural, or paranormal concept - elite soldiers taking on supernatural threats - will be scrubbed to make way for a more grounded storyline which will link with the events in Comfort._**

 ** _Another thing is, 10 Thousand Lifetimes with you, is currently undergoing rewrites as well. The story will retain its supernatural elements, and we will be delving deeper into this world of DOA/Ninja Gaiden, where magic, monsters and folklore are much alive than you think. 10 Thousand Lifetimes with You, will have no connection whatsoever with the story Comfort. Think of it as a standalone._**

 ** _PM me if you think I should make 10 Thousand Lifetimes with You part of the Comfort-verse (working title)?_**

 ** _P.S: If you have another way to describe this verse, I'm all ears!_**

 ** _Have a Nice day/night/afternoon/noon/dawn/dusk, readers and writers alike._**


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